No end in sight

Keeping track of the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme (K-IV Project) feels a bit like Groundhog Day, where every morning starts with the possibility of completion and every night ends with the news of delay. This time, the KWSC has attempted to manage public expectations before time, stating that WAPDA-proposed 2026 deadline is unrealistic - marking perhaps the first time a consensus has been reached between public and government regarding this project.

Earlier this year, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal proudly stated that meeting Karachi's essential needs is a "priority" for the federal government. The extent of the Centre's 'priority' was illustrated last year when WAPDA received only eight per cent of the required Rs40 billion from the federal budget for 2025-26. 'Anonymous' officials had already revealed back then that the shortchange would possibly cost them a 10-year delay. In context of these numbers, it's almost as if a random deadline was chosen on a whim to appease citizens.

But KWSC's revised deadline – 2029 – also seems entirely fictitious. Part of the provincial government's process includes laying down 96-inch and 72-inch pipelines in a 2.7km stretch of land from NIPA to Hassan Square. The blind optimism that is aiming for 2029 was similarly exercised last year when University Road was closed for 50 days to complete construction. And 200 days later, it is still unfinished. What's more, the worse is yet to come because work on three distribution corridors spread out across the city's busiest urban areas hasn't even started yet.

All eyes are on this project. World Bank, a partial sponsor, also recently held a meeting with the CM Sindh regarding Karachi's delicate situation and was adequately reassured about "ongoing progress". But the question remains - who will reassure the citizens who are walking towards a mirage, expecting to find water soon?