Construction delays have disrupted traffic flow, utility services, and commercial activities.
KARACHI:The Karimabad Underpass project, launched in June last year under the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) with funding from the Sindh Government, has made minimal progress. Initially scheduled for completion in two years, only 20% of the work has been completed so far, despite the expectation that at least 50% should have been finished within 1.5 years.
Recently, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was approved, urging the KDA to address public grievances through a comprehensive plan for traffic management, stormwater drainage, waste disposal, utility line relocation, community safety, and afforestation. However, no substantial actions have been taken to resolve these concerns.
Aamir Ali, a resident near Karimabad, criticized the lack of consideration for the local population and alternative traffic plans before initiating the project. “In Karachi, people are treated like insects, and their rights are disregarded. The underpass development is progressing at a snail’s pace, causing severe transportation issues,” lamented Ali, who also noted the troubling rise in dust pollution.
Similarly, Muhammad Aslam, a merchant at the Meena Bazaar in Karimabad, expressed frustration over the absence of alternative routes and the impact of encroachments on local businesses. “Authorities should have focused on completing one track before starting the second. Instead, simultaneous work on both tracks has created numerous problems,” Aslam remarked.
Razia Sultana, a shopper at Meena Bazaar, echoed these sentiments, stating that the project has made life unbearable for Karachi’s residents. “Women face significant challenges navigating the area, which lacks fencing. The alternative roads are narrow, bumpy, and cluttered with encroachments,” she shared.
A traffic police official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the underpass had become a traffic chokepoint. “The alternate route is equally problematic due to its narrowness and encroachments, creating severe bottlenecks and testing our ability to manage traffic,” the official said.
Zubair Wali, Chairman of Union Council (UC) 7 in Karimabad, elaborated on the project’s challenges. “The alternative route from Al-Najibi Shopping Center to Okhai Memon Masjid is riddled with potholes and lacks proper carpeting. Both the main and alternate roads face severe traffic jams throughout the day. Constant vehicular flow has damaged manhole covers and rings, which the Union Council has had to repair using its own funds. The failure to relocate utility lines has led to sewage overflows, affecting residential and commercial properties along the main roads,” Wali explained.
Meanwhile, SEPA Director Imran Sabir admitted that the KDA had failed to implement the EIA conditions. “Fencing and proper lighting arrangements are missing at the construction site,” Sabir said in an interview with The Express Tribune.
Dr. Syed Nawaz Al Hadi, a regional planner, criticized the Sindh Government and KDA for their negligence. “Environmental regulations are routinely ignored during construction projects in Karachi, and SEPA remains a silent spectator,” he remarked.
