KARACHI: In view of the growing incidents of falling and drowning in open manholes, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation has implemented a procedure to install covers within 12 to 24 hours.

A spokesman for the utility said that new Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) had been implemented to address public complaints promptly on the directives of Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab.

He said that the people could report issues related to open manholes or damaged ring slabs round-the-clock on the helpline number 1334 or by contacting the relevant division.

According to the spokesman, the concerned executive engineer was required to provide and install manhole covers within 12 to 24 hours after receiving a complaint under the new procedures.

Furthermore, he said, the engineer must submit a report on the installation of manhole cover to the superintendent and chief engineer and also update the helpline staff on the status of the resolution of the complaint.

The spokesman said that executive engineer who failed to comply with these SOPs ‘without valid reasons’ would be made accountable.

He said that the SOPs had been introduced to prioritise and resolve public complaints effectively, enhancing the sewage system’s overall efficiency.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2025