Commissioner wants storm water drains remodelled soon

The deputy commissioners, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) officials and other relevant departments and officials have been ordered to expedite the remodelling of the Mehmoodabad Nullah, the Gujjar Nullah and the Orangi Nullah with coordinated efforts, as well as ensure the work is completed as soon as possible.

Karachi Commissioner Navid Ahmed Shaikh chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review the progress of the KMC’s ongoing operation to clear the storm water drains of encroachments.

According to a press statement issued by the commissioner’s office, the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE) Association had also been invited to share their concerns so that they could be taken on board to ensure a smoother operation. He directed the officials concerned to ensure the implementation of the hydrological model designed by a team of the NED University so that there are no obstructions in the drains.

KMC senior director Mazhar Khan briefed the meeting about the progress of the work being done on the nullahs. He said that the encroachment removal work at the Mehmoodabad Nullah had been completed, while construction works and remodelling were being carried out by the Frontier Works Organisation.

He told the meeting that the storm water drain runs the length of 3.5 kilometres, and that its remodelling would include the construction of a 12-foot road as well as a three-foot footpath on both sides. He also briefed the meeting about the progress of the work on the Gujjar Nullah, which is 13km long. He said that encroachments from a 7km area have been removed, while the encroachment removal from a 6km area is under way.

He also said that the Orangi Nullah, which is an 11km drain, has been cleared of encroachments up to an area of 6km, while the encroachment removal work on the remaining 5km is under way. The meeting was also informed that all three storm water drains will be used only for the drainage of rainwater and not for sewerage purposes, for which sewerage lines will be placed under the roads and footpaths along these nullahs.

The meeting also heard the grievances of the representatives of the SITE Association, while they formed a committee to be headed by District Keamari Deputy Commissioner Mukhtar Abro, with SITE Managing Director Shehzad Abbasi and KMC director Khan as members.