Karachi’s woes

Will the city’s issues ever be resolved?

Karachi: The fast-collapsing city infrastructure, poor road conditions and damaged thoroughfares have left the people of Karachi in a state of despair, amid the absence of a local government. The availability of clean water has been one of the major issues the citizens across the city are confronted with. Sheherzad Khan, a resident of a local neighbourhood, spends a huge amount on buying canned water from local dealers, as water in the pipeline remains scarce.

“As per the schedule, we are supposed to get water for around 10 minutes for four days a week. However, we do not get water for days,” he said.

The electricity consumption increases manifold, as the urban dwellers keep running their motors to check water availability. The people are forced to buy mineral water for the use of cooking and drinking, while they use boring water for other purposes.

The political parties in the city have been complaining of less water supply, and the population explosion which includes migration from the rural areas to Karachi, which further exacerbates the situation. The lower strata of society is facing the worst kind of water shortage, as various areas do not have water connections. As a result, the dwellers are forced to buy water from the tanker mafia at higher rates.

Although the prices of these tankers vary in different areas, the average tanker with around 1,000 gallons of water costs around Rs 2,200. Ijaz Ahmed, a resident of a local area, said that due to the acute water shortage, he has to buy water from tankers.

“I do not bother running the motor, as it just increases my electricity consumption, while I get no water from the pipeline. Like everyone else, I too buy water from the tanker mafia. A tanker of 1,000 gallons is sufficient for a month if you have a family of four,” he added.

The last project to increase the water supply from Keenjhar Lake to Karachi was initiated in 2004 under the leadership of former mayor Naimatullah Khan. The 100 million gallons/day project was completed in 2006 when Mustafa Kamal was the mayor. The city’s roads around the main economic centres are filled with potholes, where the citizens are faced with agonising waits for hours due to choked traffic.

Muhammad Sadiq, a student of a medical college, said that the road to his college near the Merewether Tower is filled with bumps, while the leakage from the nearby sewerage lines further deteriorates the road. “It is very difficult to ride a bike in the city, as continuous bumps not only lessens the bike’s life but also results in health conditions such as back pain. Not everyone in the city can afford a car. I am a student and have no other option but to ride a bike on these bumpy roads,” he added.

The long traffic jams at main arteries due to poor urban planning and an increase in the number of vehicles on the roads, besides diversion of traffic towards rather developed and cleaner roads, is another major issue among many. Jahangir Road, Jam Sadiq Bridge near Qayyumabad roundabout and other roads leading to the Korangi Industrial Area are some of the few examples, showing the sorry state of the city’s infrastructure.

The continuous traffic jams and scattered roads are also resulting in increased expenses for the commuters, as they have to take their vehicles and motorbikes for maintenance on a regular basis. Naeem, a rickshaw driver, said that most of the city’s roads are in very bad shape, which forces the drivers to constantly take their vehicles to mechanics.

“Due to bumps in the middle of the roads, the vehicle’s parts do not sustain for long. Additionally, continuous traffic jams also increase our costs, as we have to keep our vehicle switched-on to quickly get out of the choked traffic,” he added.

According to him, the rickshaw and taxi drivers have to keep the traffic and roads’ situation in mind when agreeing on fair with the customers. Syed Najmi Alam, a potential PPP candidate for the mayor’s slot, said that proper distribution of water and curbing its theft is among the major issues in the city.

“The water supply to the citizens will increase by around 40 per cent, if we manage to put an end to water theft. Additionally, the rainwater and flooding is also an issue, which should be put on priority,” he added. According to him, the sewerage lines filled with rainwater during monsoon rains further aggravates the desolation of the infrastructure, which needed immediate attention. For Alam, the major arteries across the city have been encroached, which result in long-hours of traffic jams, while also contributing to the pollution.

“We also need a proper solid waste management programme,” he said, adding that the playgrounds across the city are a must for a healthy life and the youth should be assisted and facilitated in this matter.

Former Karachi mayor Waseem Akhter during his tenure, had been complaining of not having enough resources and powers to work towards the development of the city.

Alam however, is of the view that the government’s will to work for the development is more important than resources. “We have the will to work for the betterment of the people and the provincial government will help and assist the local government in every possible way.”

Despite repeated attempts to contact, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) candidate for the mayor’ slot, Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman was not available to give his view on the city’s infrastructure and his party’s plan for its development. The long-awaited local bodies’ elections were held on January 15, 2023 but the political parties levelled rigging allegations against each other, which put the formation of a local government in doldrums.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also withheld the results of six union councils due to complaints and recounting requests. Besides, no party could manage to secure the required number of seats to elect its mayor, which further delayed the process.