Rainfall tests Karachi’s drainage system
KARACHI: With moderate rainfall in Karachi on Friday, several areas of the city were flooded, especially areas of the District Central, East and Korangi that witnessed traffic jams. Power outages were also witnessed in large parts of the city.
The traffic movement snarled up in the District Central’s Shershah Suri Road at Hyderi and Five Star Chowrangi, which were inundated with rainwater. According to DIG Traffic Karachi, the flowing water slowed down the traffic movement towards the Five Star Chowrangi and Hyderi Market.
The overflowing rain drain of Shadman 14 in the District Central inundated the adjoining roads and residents complained that rainwater entered their flats and markets.The traffic movement also remained disturbed at Johar Mor and Saima Mobile Market, heading towards Nipa due to rainwater. Slow traffic flow was also observed at the University Road at Hasan Square towards Nipa, near Urdu University, Samama and adjoining areas. The water was also present at Sharae Faisal’s Star Gate and near Airport.
On the other hand, the rainwater couldn’t be drained out from several streets of the District Korangi as well. The Korangi Industrial area’s main road was flooded, snarling up traffic movement for hours.
Addressing a press conference at the Frere Hall, the Karachi Administrator, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, said continuous rain for the last eight to nine hours had posed a challenge to the drainage system, but claimed the situation was under control and will gradually improve.
Barrister Wahab claimed, “Unlike the past, there has been no drainage problem anywhere in Karachi since Thursday.” He said all the relevant staff of the municipal and local government was deployed in different parts of the city throughout the night. “We had installed 16 large pumps as well,” the administrator said. He also commended the sanitary workers, DMC staff and the traffic police for doing a good job.
Earlier, on Thursday Landhi, Malir, Saddar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Orangi, Korangi, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Bahadurabad, II Chundrigar Road, Saddar Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Lyari, Baldia Town, Mauripur, Shershah, Nazimabad, Sharea Faisal, North Nazimabad and Clifton, and their neighbouring localities suffered long power outages. Reacting to the development, the KE claimed power supply to the city and its adjoining areas remained stable and uninterrupted. Supply to some areas with high incidence of theft and ‘kunda’ usage was pre-emptively shut down in the interest of public safety and it was restored.
