Large swathes parched as Red Line piling damages water main

Poor planning and faulty execution on the Red Line bus rapid transit project have left vast swathes of the metropolis without water for several days after pile-driving work damaged a major 55-inch diameter water main, officials confirmed on Monday.

The damage occurred near the old vegetable market when piling work - being carried out as part of the much-touted Red Line project - struck the critical water artery, cutting off supply to Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Lines Area, Old City Area, Lyari, and several other neighbourhoods. Repair work is currently underway, with Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) officials expressing hope that supply will be restored within the next 48 hours.

KWSC officials said the contractors had been provided with all necessary maps showing the location of underground utilities. "Despite that, piling was carried out near the 55-inch main, but the alignment was incorrect, which caused the damage," one official told The Express Tribune.

The repair work has proven extremely challenging, requiring the piling pillar to be cut to access the damaged pipe. Sources said the work is in its final stages and is likely to be completed by late Monday night, with water expected to start flowing again by Tuesday.

This is not an isolated incident. In the last 15 days alone, water mains have been damaged at 10 different locations during K-IV augmentation and Red Line construction work on University Road - raising serious questions about the planning and oversight of these mega projects.

In a startling revelation, a very senior retired officer of the KWSC, speaking to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity, expressed deep concern over the recurring damage to the city's water lifelines.

"This particular 55-inch line was laid in 1956," he said. "During my 35 years of service, I never once saw University Road's water mains get damaged. But ever since Red Line work began in 2021, the main lines - laid in 1956, 1972, and 1996 - which had never been affected in the past, are now being damaged regularly. This has become a routine occurrence, which is extremely alarming."

The retired officer warned that the University Road water mains are a lifeline for a large part of Karachi's population. "This must be stopped immediately. If this negligence continues, the metropolis could face an even greater water crisis than it already does," he added.