SUKKUR: Sukkur Mayor Barrister Arsalan Islam Sheikh has announced a series of initiatives aimed at modernising the city’s civic infrastructure and improving environment, fire safety situation, traffic regulating system and the water, power and drainage networks.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr Sheikh noted that 167 buildings in the city were identified which lacked fire safety system. Notices were being issued to their owners in this regard, he said.

In order to improve firefighters’ response time, the number of fire stations would be increased, he said, adding that to begin with, one station was being established at the City Point to cover its surrounding areas quickly.

The mayor said that a 70-member force comprising the revenue police and municipal staff was being raised to tackle traffic congestion. Besides, he said, three parking plazas would be built to resolve the parking issue.

He revealed that plans were afoot to dedicate a specific route for electric vehicles to ensure eco-friendly transport system while traffic management was also being streamlined on modern lines.

“We are also working on the city’s drainage system. Since Sukkur is a gravity-based city, the drainage network has been established on the principle of natural flow, taking into account the hilly topography. This approach has already resolved 70pc of energy-related issues,” said the mayor.

He noted that in the past, wastewater used to be disposed of without having been treated and this practice was harming both agricultural lands and general water supply. Now, nine million gallons of water is being treated and discharged every day, he said.

“Measures are being taken to increase the treatment capacity by 30 million gallons,” he said.

The mayor noted that work was progressing rapidly after acquiring of 35,000 square feet of land for oxidation purposes. Eighty per cent construction of additional ponds in Saeedabad has been completed, he said.

“Sukkur is set to become the first city in Sindh to release only treated water into the Indus,” he said, adding that 153,000 feet of new pipelines had already been laid and the system would be made even more effective with the cooperation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

He said that new water filtration plants would be installed on the basis of population density.

World Health Organis­ation (WHO) standards have been ensured while a modern mechanism — employing 22 generators, 14 transformers and independent feeders — has been put in place. As a result, the infrastructure that used to crumble within six months of its development is now operational for long; and an integrated system for draining both rainwater and sewage has been completed, according to him.

Mayor Arsalan Sheikh described climate change impact as a grave threat to food security, and announced introduction of a Digital Plantation System, alongside the launch of a tree-plantation campaign costing Rs20 million.

He said that in a significant land reclamation move, 46 acres of low-lying land between Old Sukkur and New Pind — previously destroyed by stagnant sewage — has been secured. This area would be transformed into a modern zoo and public recreational space, he said.

Sukkur Municipal Corporation spokesman Aamir Mughal also spoke.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2026