Murad asks Wapda to allocate 50mgd more water for Karachi

KARACHI: Sindh’s chief minister has urged the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to provide 50mgd more water from the Hub Dam to meet Karachi’s needs.

CM Syed Murad Ali Shah discussed several critical projects, including K-IV and the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD), with Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani during a meeting at the CM House on Tuesday.

Shah said the provincial government is in the process of constructing a parallel canal to improve the water supply infrastructure and ensure a more reliable water source for the city. He urged Ghani to allocate 50mgd more water from the Hub Dam for the city.

Ghani asked Shah to direct the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) to submit a written request. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said a request has already been made.

Ghani said the KWSC owes Wapda Rs1 billion for the Hub Canal’s maintenance. Shah said his government would settle the outstanding dues, and instructed the local government minister to send him a summary for it.

Wapda is executing the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme K-IV (Phase-I), which can supply 260mgd bulk water to the city at three termination points — Pipri, NEK and Manghopir — from its source at the Keenjhar Lake, Thatta. The project’s completion date is June 2026.

The components being developed by Wapda include an intake structure for 650mgd at the Keenjhar Lake, a gravity channel (650mgd) leading to the Keenjhar Pumping Complex, and the Keenjhar Pumping Complex itself that would feature two pumping stations (130mgd each).

The project also involves laying a pressurised pipeline with all the necessary appurtenant structures (260mgd), and developing three reservoirs, along with filtration plants.

On the other hand, the provincial government is working on the distribution and augmentation system, establishing a power supply arrangement of 50MW, and managing land acquisition and clearance of the right of way (ROW).

Ghani provided an update on K-IV’s status, saying that it is being implemented through eight contract packages awarded to various local and international contractors.

He said work on all the components, including the intake structure, pumping stations, water conveyance system (pressurised pipeline), water reservoirs and filtration plants, is in full swing. The project’s overall progress is at 53 per cent, he added.

The meeting focused on the release of Rs8.5 billion by the provincial government as its cost share. Shah instructed the LG minister to prepare a summary for releasing the government’s share.

Regarding the clearance of the 5km ROW and associated court cases, Shah directed Wahab to have the stay order vacated so that work on the project can proceed. Another land issue at RD 78 was addressed, with Shah instructing the senior member Board of Revenue to resolve the compensation case.

The meeting also discussed RBOD-I and RBOD-III, the federally funded drainage projects implemented by Wapda. The projects provide drainage facilities for saline effluent and agricultural surplus, besides storm water to Larkana, Dadu and Jamshoro (RBOD-I), and Kambar Shahdadkot and Jacobabad (RBOD-III).

The Lower Indus Right Bank Irrigation & Drainage Project, specifically RBOD-I, was initiated in 1994 to manage saline effluent and facilitate storm drainage control through existing and proposed drains, ultimately discharging into the River Indus above Sehwan town via the Indus Link Canal.

RBOD-I and RBOD-III were completed in 2020 and 2021, and were to be handed over for further operation and maintenance to the Sindh Irrigation Department.

However, the transfer of these projects has not been finalised due to ongoing disputes regarding the restoration of damaged works by Wapda, and the clearance of loans before the handover of both projects to the provincial government.

Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro said the provincial government incurred millions of rupees on the repair and maintenance of RBOD during the 2022 floods. Shah said Wapda should reimburse the provincial government for these expenses.

Shah and Ghani agreed to form an expert committee comprising members from Wapda and the irrigation department to study the issues surrounding RBOD-I and RBOD-III so that the eventual handover of the projects to the provincial government can be facilitated.