Scheme 33 sewerage system collapses

Sectors turn into a cesspool making the life of residents miserable

KARACHI:

The sewerage system in Scheme 33 has once again collapsed, submerging Sector 17-A and turning the main artery into a stinking pond of stagnant water.

According to local residents, the route linking the M9 Motorway to the G-3 bus stop, Quetta Town, Gwalior Society and PCSIR Laboratories has been completely closed for traffic, causing severe disruption for commuters.

Potholes created by the stagnant sewage have led to frequent accidents involving rickshaws and motorcycles, while schoolchildren are suffering daily hardship. Sector 17 is still reeling from the devastation caused by recent flooding, with the road infrastructure in ruins and the sewerage system collapsing further, residents told The Express Tribune. Large parts of Scheme 33 and surrounding housing societies have been inundated with filthy water for nearly two months.

They said that the foul stench and the spread of disease have become routine. Despite repeated complaints to municipal authorities and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), the problem remains unresolved. They complained that the newly installed sewerage line in the area has sunk once again, while one neighbouring society has illegally constructed a boundary wall, forcing all sewage water to accumulate in the vicinity.

With only one track of the main road functional, severe traffic congestion has become a daily norm, especially during evening hours when snarls stretch for up to two hours. Commuters coming from the highway are now compelled to take alternate routes via Maskan or Jamali Bridge.

Though repair work on the sewerage line is underway, the drainage flow remains blocked, turning streets in several societies, including Gwalior Cooperative Housing Society, Peeli Bhit Cooperative Housing Society, Karachi University Cooperative Housing Society, PCSIR Society and Quetta Town, into foul-smelling ponds. A large stagnant pool has also formed on the route from the G-3 bus stop to the PCSIR laboratories. Residents warn that unless sewerage flow is restored urgently, the risk of disease outbreaks, worsening stench and further traffic accidents will increase.

The crisis is also taking a heavy toll on schoolchildren. Amin Majeed, owner of a local school, told The Express Tribune that thousands of students have to wade through the filthy water every day, leaving their uniforms soiled and forcing parents to wait in hours-long traffic bottlenecks. A shopkeeper near Gwalior Society said that while housing societies in the area continued to expand over the years, no proper drainage infrastructure was ever developed, resulting in the current situation.

Residents and traders have called on the provincial government, the KWSC and relevant municipal bodies to repair the sewerage network, clear stagnant water and rehabilitate the crumbling roads before the situation worsens further.