• TMC officials await funds for massive works needed in their respective areas
• CM orders inquiry into destruction of roads, seeks action against those found responsible

KARACHI: Expressing grave concern and displeasure over substandard construction and repair work of city roads that were severely damaged in recent rains, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday approved Rs1.5 billion to repair some of the roads within the jurisdiction of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

However, there’s no word about the fate of the badly damaged roads within the remit of the city’s more than two dozen town municipal corporations.

Chairing a meeting here, he directed the local government department to initiate an inquiry into the destruction of the roads and take action against those found responsible.

The chief minister also directed the LG department to initiate an inquiry into the roads constructed or repaired after 2022 that had since been washed away.

“It is unacceptable for the quality of work to fall short of standards, and strict action must be taken against those responsible,” the chief minister said and emphasised the need for accountability in the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure.

The meeting held at the CM House was attended among others by Planning and Development Minister Nasir Shah, LG Minister Saeed Ghani, Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah and others.

“The destruction of roads shows that the quality of work is not maintained, therefore the culprits must be brought to book,” he said.

Mayor Murtaza Wahab informed the chief minister that there were 17,861,500 square feet of roads that had been damaged during rains in 2024.

Giving district-wise details, he said that South had 909,500 square feet of damaged roads, East 795,000 square feet, Central 832,000 square feet, West 13,750,000 square feet, Korangi 5,555,000 square feet, Malir 625,000 square feet and 395,000 square feet of flyovers and bridges.

He said that 20 roads, flyovers and underpasses of Karachi needed patchwork, including 20 roads in district South, 22 East, seven Central, 38 West, 11 Korangi, 12 Malir and 10 flyovers.

He added that around Rs1.5bn was required to repair and reconstruct the damaged roads, bridges and flyovers which the CM had approved and issued directives to carry out quality work.

TMCs term amount ‘peanuts’

A majority of more than 20 town administrations across the city, however, saw the chief minister’s announcement of funds as just “peanuts” which could not meet the required level of repair work which is badly needed after the rains.

In Liaquatabad Town, for instance, the municipal administration has already approached the Sindh local bodies minister seeking his support for release of funds from the provincial government so the repair work could be started in the area where the monsoon rains had ruined the already vulnerable infrastructure.

“We have completed a survey of the town and estimated that more than 300,000 square meters of roads need immediate intervention for repair work,” said Liaquatabad Town chairman Faraz Haseeb. “We have already written to the local bodies minister appealing his support for the funds. This Rs1.5 billion funds announced by the CM are just peanuts. This could not help improve the situation in towns in any part of the city.”

Road infrastructure in other divisions

The chief minister chaired a separate meeting and identified that 219 roads totalling 3,545.39 kilometres in Hyderabad Division, and 178 roads totalling 124.81km in Sukkur Division had been damaged by floods.

He directed the works and services department to estimate the damages and start repair works.

The meeting was held at CM House and attended by P&D Minister Nasir Shah, Works and Services Minister Haji Ali Hassan Zardari, chief secretary Asif Hyder Shah, P&D chairman Najam Shah, finance secretary Fayaz Jatoi, works secretary Mohammad Ali Khoso and others concerned.

The chief minister was told that this year heavy rains had damaged 219 roads with a length of 3,545.39km in Hyderabad Division and 27 roads of 319km in Sukkur Division.

The damages include surface, shoulder, bridge, and culvert.

Mr Shah directed P&D and works ministers to sit together along with their respective teams to estimate the damages caused by the rainfall to the roads so that they could be approved to start the work.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2024