Clean-up drive on Korangi Expressway

Authorities spring into action after 'Express' report

KARACHI:

Acting swiftly on an The Express Tribune report, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) has launched a major cleanup drive along Korangi Expressway to clear piles of garbage and address growing public complaints over pollution and foul odor.

Teams equipped with heavy machinery have begun removing waste, while water sprinkling is being carried out to control dust and airborne plastic particles. The SSWMB took action after reports of trash burning and spreading along the expressway, which had caused severe air pollution and health concerns for nearby residents.

Managing Director SSWMB Tariq Ali Nizamani, who visited the site, told The Express Tribune that the city's garbage collection system would improve significantly with the recent approval for round-the-clock operations of Garbage Transfer Stations (GTS). He said a new scientific waste management system was being developed to minimize odor and pollution. Waste collected from Korangi Expressway will be transported 45-50 kilometers away to designated landfill sites, while new GTS facilities will be odor-free and environmentally safe.

Nizamani disclosed that Karachi generates around 15,000-16,000 tons of waste daily, of which 12,000 tons are handled by SSWMB, while the remaining 30 per cent comes from areas managed by cantonment boards, CAA, and KPT. The city currently has six modern GTS, though construction at one site remains stalled due to encroachments. Authorities have been asked to clear the land for the development of new infrastructure.

He added that around 2,000 vehicles — 40 per cent large and 60 per cent small - are engaged in waste collection, with the highest volume coming from District East. The Sindh government has declared 20 roads, including Abdullah Haroon Road and Airport Road, as "model roads" where regular road washing and cleaning operations are underway.

Taking notice of garbage burning incidents at the Imtiaz GTS in District East, Nizamani ordered strict action against those involved and directed that FIRs be lodged. He also convened an emergency meeting, directing that permanent guards be deployed at all GTS sites, strict bans imposed on trash burning, and tracking systems installed in all vehicles to enhance real-time monitoring through the command and control system.