Karimabad Underpass not likely to be inaugurated anytime soon

After an abnormal delay in its completion, it was recently announced that the under-construction Karimabad underpass will be inaugurated on September 30.

However, the project may again miss the inauguration target as the underpass has been filled with water after the recent rains providing the contractor a reasonable excuse for further delay.

When this correspondent inspected the underpass, no emergency work had been initiated to remove the accumulated rainwater from the underpass and the pumps installed to drain the water were shut down.

The work on the Karimabad underpass started in April 2023 at a cost of Rs1.35 billion, which has increased to Rs3.8 billion due to continuous delays. The deadline for completion of the work was set for April 2025, after which it was announced to be inaugurated in August, and then recently it was announced that it would be opened for traffic on September 30.

However, currently, even the excavation of one of its tracks has not been completed. Given the slow pace of work, the project’s inauguration might be possible by September 30 next year, not this year.

According to residents of the area, the slow pace of work and now the accumulated rainwater would cause further delays. Shopkeepers of the Meena Bazaar and other surrounding markets lament that the stalled project has severely affected their businesses for the last two years. Due to the lack of road and parking, citizens cannot reach the markets for shopping, while due to the construction of the underpass, two gas stations and dozens of other markets and shops have been closed.

The shopkeepers say it has become difficult for them to meet the rent and electricity bills of the shops. A spokesperson for the Sindh government said work on draining rainwater had been started on an emergency basis and every possible effort was being made to complete the Karimabad underpass as soon as possible. Now the project would be monitored on a daily basis, he added.