ISLAMABAD: A mysterious culvert, which kept city managers on their toes for around a week and made headlines for blocking the drainage system of the Diplomatic Enclave, has finally been found beneath dumped earth and debris.

During the construction of the Jinnah Square Interchange, excess earth and debris were dumped along the Srinagar Highway. The culvert, which passed through a depression, was overlooked, resulting in the blockage of drainage.

As a result, for the first time, rainwater accumulated inside the Diplomatic Enclave, which houses embassies and foreign missions.

Due to flooding in the enclave, a European embassy partially suspended its operations for a few days. Meanwhile, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) faced criticism for its negligence in overlooking the culvert.

Under pressure, CDA teams remained busy for about a week pumping out the accumulated rainwater. At the same time, the CDA’s contractor carried out extensive excavation, reaching a depth of nearly 40 feet, and successfully traced the culvert.

The operation teams breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday when they first spotted sewerage lines crossing under the Srinagar Highway. Following the route of the sewerage line, the accumulated water began draining out.

By Tuesday, as the water level dropped, the culvert surfaced and became visible, raising questions about the efficiency of the CDA and its allied departments, and why they failed to raise concerns when the dumping process began.

“Had CDA’s departments taken timely action, the flooding could have been avoided in the Diplomatic Enclave,” said an official. “Now, water is flowing through the culvert smoothly, and the issue is resolved,” he added.

Meanwhile, one of the senior officers of the CDA confirmed that the culvert-cum-sewerage line has been traced and water is draining out smoothly.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2025