The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has initiated the conversion of Rashid Minhas Road into a 'model road' without a comprehensive strategy, leading to disruptions in water supply across multiple blocks of Gulshan-e-Iqbal. According to sources, the KMC Engineering Department is undertaking the replacement of a 24-inch water line from Nipa Chowrangi to Gulshan Chowrangi, a task typically under the purview of the Karachi Water Corporation.
Damaged Pipeline Causes Water Shortage
During the construction work, an 8-inch water line was inadvertently damaged. Consequently, the Water Corporation was compelled to shut down the supply through the 24-inch main pipeline. This has resulted in a complete suspension of water supply to Gulshan-e-Iqbal Blocks 1, 2, 4, 5, 13-D, and adjacent areas.
Traffic Disruptions and Project Delays
The project has also forced the closure of the road stretch from Nipa Chowrangi to Gulshan Chowrangi, as work commenced on the 2,200-ring feeder line. Commuters are facing severe traffic congestion due to the road closure. Sources indicate that the replacement of the 24-inch line is progressing at a slow pace. Although Water Corporation officials were initially informed that the work would be completed within a few days, sources now estimate that it may take up to a month to finish.
Typically, the replacement of water and sewerage lines falls under the mandate of the Karachi Water Corporation. However, the KMC Engineering Department is currently executing this work as part of its model road plan.
