KARACHI: City Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Thursday directed immediate formation of independent vigilance teams to monitor repair works on major roads across the metropolis and ensure that small issues were resolved within 24 hours after they were reported.

He issued the directive during a high-level meeting of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s Engineering Department at the KMC head office, to review progress of ongoing development projects, an official statement said.

The mayor said the vigilance teams would proactively inspect roads, identify defects and report problems to the Engineering Department without waiting for public complaints.

“These teams will regularly visit roads, submit progress reports and directly inform higher authorities. It is the responsibility of officials, not citizens, to identify and report minor road-related issues,” the mayor said, adding that each district must have an active vigilance team.

Tells KMC Engineering Department to ensure minor issues are resolved within 24 hours

Mayor Wahab said that separate emergency tenders for minor repair works had already been executed, and funds allocated from municipal taxes were readily available.

“Since both resources and funds are in place, there should be no delay in resolving complaints,” he stressed, warning that strict action would be taken against the Engineering Department in case of non-compliance or failure to meet the 24-hour deadline.

During the meeting, officials also briefed the mayor on the progress of development schemes under the District Annual Development Programme (ADP), the Provincial ADP, and World Bank-funded Competitive and Livable City of Karachi (Click) projects.

Senior engineering officials informed him that mega projects under the Click programme had achieved over 70 per cent progress, with several expected to be inaugurated before March next year.

The mayor also directed departments to expedite and complete all codal formalities for schemes on Natha Khan Road and Jahangir Road.

Emphasising accountability and service delivery, he said citizens had high expectations from the city administration, and that “tangible improvements were already visible”.

“Our focus remains on timely execution, transparency, and visible progress,” he said.

The meeting was attended by Municipal Commissioner Syed Mohammad Afzal Zaidi, Financial Adviser Gulzar Abro, Senior Director Engineering Junaid Ullah Khan, Senior Director Coordination Akhlaq Ahmed and other officials.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2025