Red Line work damages major water main, disrupting supply across Karachi

KARACHI: Construction activity on the Red Line bus rapid transit project damaged a 55-inch water main near the old vegetable market, disrupting supply to large parts of Karachi for several days, officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) said.

KWSC officials said the damaged main serves Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Lines Area, Old City Area, Lyari and several other neighbourhoods. They said repair work was in progress and expressed hope that water supply would be restored within 48 hours.

Contractors working on the project had been given maps showing the location of underground utility lines before piling began. One official said piling was nonetheless carried out near the 55-inch main and that an incorrect alignment led to the damage.

The repair operation has been difficult because the piling pillar has to be cut before workers can access the damaged section of the pipeline. The work had entered its final stage and was expected to be completed by late Monday night, with water likely to begin flowing again by Tuesday.

Repeated damage to mains

This was not an isolated case. Over the past 15 days, water mains have been damaged at 10 locations during K-IV augmentation and Red Line construction work on University Road, raising concerns over planning and supervision of the projects.

A senior retired KWSC officer, speaking anonymously, said the affected 55-inch line was laid in 1956 and described the repeated incidents as deeply troubling. He said that during his 35 years in service he had never seen water mains on University Road damaged, but that since Red Line work began in 2021, mains laid in 1956, 1972 and 1996 had been repeatedly hit.

He described the University Road mains as critical to water supply for a large section of Karachi’s population and said the recurring damage needed to be halted immediately.

"This particular 55-inch line was laid in 1956. During my 35 years of service, I never once saw University Road's water mains get damaged. But ever since Red Line work began in 2021, the main lines - laid in 1956, 1972, and 1996 - which had never been affected in the past, are now being damaged regularly. This has become a routine occurrence, which is extremely alarming," the retired officer also said.

He further warned:

"This must be stopped immediately. If this negligence continues, the metropolis could face an even greater water crisis than it already does"