• Sanitation crisis, broken roads, lack of basic facilities frustrate workers, commuters
• SITE Ltd says funds allocated in budget; work on road repairs, drain cleaning will commence soon

KARACHI: Once a flourishing industrial stronghold, Karachi’s Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE) — one of the country’s lar­gest industrial zones that provides livelihoods to hundreds of thous­ands of workers — is now grappling with infrastructure failures.

Deteriorated roads, a crumbling sewerage system, and dismal sanitation conditions have made daily commuting a nightmare, especially for those who work in this area to earn their living.

The dust, filth and squalor have reached such levels that pedestrians are forced to think twice before setting foot on the roads. Yet, with no alternative, they are left to endure the worsening conditions.

The absence of functional streetlights leaves vast portions of the area pitch dark after sunset, making commuting during night hours unsafe.

While the monsoon situation has already become unbearable in the rest of the country, what lies ahead for the city during the peak season remains a worrying question.

The situation is prompting widespread frustration among hundreds of thousands of daily commuters, labourers and factory workers.

SITE was originally established to promote ease of doing business and facilitate industrial growth.

According to its official website, SITE Ltd is responsible for the allotment of industrial plots, the development and maintenance of road infrastructure, and the management of storm-water and industrial effluent drainage systems. It is also tasked with collection and disposal of solid waste, supposedly in accordance with local regulations.

However, the on-ground realities speak volumes about the body’s inefficiency and failure in streamlining its responsibilities.

Estate Avenue

Estate Avenue, the largest road under SITE Ltd’s jurisdiction — beginning near the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kemari district and extending to Mauripur Road near PAF Masroor Base — serves as a crucial artery of industrial estate, but now narrates a tale of neglect.

Heaps of garbage and rubble lie scattered across multiple spots on both sides of the road. Particularly on the stretch where the PSO petrol pump is located near the Sher Shah bus stop, stagnant puddles of water and mud are visible almost every 20 seconds of driving.

Though there is little trace left of a pedestrian footpath, walkways are either damaged beyond use or buried under mounds of rubbish and debris. The very concept of cleanliness appears to be missing from the area altogether.

In almost every road and street, wherever a path ends or there is a culvert, a deep pothole typically follows.

Many of the inner streets branching off from Estate Avenue are also in a dire state — broken and submerged under overflowing sewage water.

Crumbling road, disrupted traffic

The road descending from Bab-i-Khyber, Metroville, and connecting to Estate Avenue is broken at nearly every point. Piles of garbage line the roadside. The uneven, filthy surface not only slows traffic but poses safety hazards for commuters and motorists alike.

Whether on foot or by vehicle, everyone is forced to navigate through these hazardous, dust-laden roads. The ever-present clouds of dirt mean that white or black clothing is easily soiled after even a short walk.

One half of Central Avenue — particularly the stretch from SDM Pulya to Ghani Chowrangi — is completely destroyed. It is now submerged in dirty drain water and sludge. The other track is only marginally better, also marred by disrepair and uncleanliness.

There is no provision for pedestrian walkways here either — footpaths, if they ever existed, have long vanished.

Moin Akhtar Road, starting from Nauras Chowrangi and merging with Estate Avenue at Siemens Chowrangi, is yet another example of neglect.

There is either no footpath or it remains buried beneath heaps of garbage and filth. No signs of any cleaning activity can be seen here from the regulator.

The road leading to the SITE Gas Turbine Power Station — which connects to Central Avenue — is also in a state of deterioration. At almost every turn, garbage dumps remain unattended. Patches of stagnant sludge and foul-smelling puddles dot the road, turning it into a hazard zone for workers, commuters, and their vehicles.

Nauman Road, which eventually links up with Fakhruddin Valika Road, is in a similarly deplorable condition, along with its adjoining streets. Accumulated sewage water within the lanes has made passage extremely difficult.

Speaking to Dawn, SITE Limited spokesperson Kamran Usman said that funds are allocated in SITE Limited’s annual budget for the cleaning of drains, road repairs and overall infrastructure improvement.

He said that funds had been allocated in the budget for financial year 2025-26 and work on road repairs and the cleaning of drains will commence shortly.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2025