KARACHI: With heavy monsoon rains expected to hit Karachi and other parts of Sindh, the city is still not ready to cope, as most storm drains remain clogged, mainly due to delays in funding from the Sindh government.
Sources said that despite several warnings and past flooding incidents, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has yet to receive the necessary funds to properly clean its 586 storm water drains, including 41 key ones under its control.
Experts are warning that this delay could seriously limit any future cleaning efforts. “The monsoon season is just around the corner. If cleaning doesn’t begin now, large paths of Karachi could be submerged,” said an official familiar with the matter.
Anjum Nazir Saigham, Deputy Director of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, confirmed that Karachi and much of Sindh could receive 20–30% more rain than usual this season.
“We have already issued alerts to all concerned agencies about the high risk of urban flooding in Karachi and flash flooding in parts of interior Sindh,” he said.
Past data backs these concerns. In July 2022, Mauripur recorded 584mm of rain, contributing to a seasonal total of 757mm. On August 27, 2020, the city saw a staggering 230mm in one day, paralyzing life.
KMC’s Senior Director of Municipal Services, Abdul Hannan, said a funding request had been made to the Sindh government, though he did not mention the exact amount.
Another municipal officer said KMC had asked for Rs650 million, similar to previous years’ demands ranging between Rs600–800 million.
“Unfortunately, the provincial government has never released the full amount. Typically, Rs400 to Rs450 million are provided, and that too when the rains are already upon us,” he said.
While some partial cleaning began in May through an annual maintenance contract, full-scale work can’t start until funds are released and new contracts are awarded.
A KMC report identifies 19 major trouble spots that flood almost every monsoon, including I.I. Chundrigar Road, Shahrah-e-Faisal (Nursery, Jinnah Bridge, FTC Flyover), Civic Centre, NIPA Chowrangi, Rashid Minhas Road, and areas in Gulistan-e-Johar and Liaquatabad.
Other high-risk zones include Nagan Chowrangi, Banaras, KDA Chowrangi, Safoora Goth, Surjani, Thado Dam, and Palm Village Malir.
Reports also point to at least 30 more vulnerable neighborhoods such as Jehangir East & West, Martin Quarters, Korangi Industrial Area, Qayyumabad, Noorani Mohalla, Liaquatabad No. 4 and 10, Water Pump, and Cheel Chowk in Lyari—all of which could flood if timely measures aren’t taken.
Urban planner Dr. Syed Nawaz Al-Huda urged for a long-term fix instead of quick fixes before each monsoon. “The tradition of dumping garbage into drains must end.
The Sindh Solid Waste Management Board should ensure daily waste collection and removal to landfill sites. Separating sewer lines from stormwater drains could save the government millions of rupees by preventing future crises.
Storm water should drain from city roads within 30 minutes, which is the global standard. In Karachi, however, due to poor planning, water takes three to four hours to drain out,” he noted.