PCIC decides to maintain nullahs’ width as per master plan

The Provincial Coordination & Implementation Committee (PCIC) working for the development of Karachi has decided to maintain the widths of the city’s storm water drains as mentioned in the master plan. Therefore, the human settlements and commercial establishments situated along their embankments will be relocated.

A meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM House on Monday was told that 13,441 households and 2,948 commercial establishments are encroaching upon three storm water drains and a river in the city.

According to the breakdown of the figures, Gujjar Nullah is being encroached upon by 5,916 households and 2,412 commercial units, Orangi Nullah by 4,480 households and 380 commercial units, Mehmoodabad Nullah by 1,049 households and 156 commercial units and the Malir River by 1,996 households.

The meeting was told that the government has already issued eviction notices to the people living and conducting their businesses on the storm water drains and the river.

The CM was told that the NED University of Engineering & Technology has been conducting a survey of the storm water drains in the city.

The terms of reference of the survey include the analysis of the length, width and capacities of the existing storm water drains, the survey of the nullahs with a number of physical structures, and the development of drone-assisted mapping and outlining of the pieces of land encroached upon.

Karachi Commissioner Sohail Rajput said that surveys of nine storm water drains in District East, including Mehmoodabad Nullah, have been completed, while the surveys of District Central’s drains will be completed by the end of this week.

The meeting decided that a technical study of the storm water drains of the city should be conducted by carrying out hydrologic and hydraulic modelling studies.

Under the technical study, demarcation of the existing drainage network, quantification of the expected flows in the region and cross-section details of the nullahs will be used to assess the capacity of the existing sections to cater to the flows.

The CM directed the commissioner to complete the technical study within the next three months. Keeping different factors in view, the meeting decided to maintain the actual width of the nullahs as mentioned in the master plan.

However, the results of the NED University’s study for determining the optimal size of the storm water drains will also be considered. The university has been authorised to redesign the nullahs in accordance with the master plan.

The meeting decided to come up with different models of human resettlement and present them in the next meeting of the apex committee for approval. A three-member body comprising the city’s administrator and commissioner and the provincial local government secretary will prepare the rehabilitation plans.

City’s clean-up drive

Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) Managing Director Zubair Channa told the meeting that a clean-up campaign for the entire city had started on October 20.

In District West, the drive was recently launched by the provincial labour minister. The clean-up drives in the Korangi and Central districts are being steered by the administrators of their respective district municipal corporations (DMCs). The meeting decided to award the best performing districts and union committees.

The CM said he will be satisfied with the clean-up campaign when people of different localities start saying their areas are being cleaned properly. He directed all the DMC administrators to routinely monitor the cleanliness work.

The meeting also discussed the Karachi Circular Railway’s local train arrangement proposal and decided to review it because the local train arrangement will affect the launch of the modern train systems.