KARACHI: Mayor Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Monday said that he will continuously monitor the cleaning of drains and in addition to the 46 major drains, smaller drains are also being cleaned.
He expressed these views during his visits to the stormwater drains. Municipal Commissioner of KMC, SM Afzal Zaidi, the Mayor’s Political Affairs Spokesperson, Karamullah Waqasi, and other relevant officials accompanied him.
He said that a joint strategy will be employed to ensure the drainage of rainwater across all towns. As soon as the rains begin, staff, machinery, and pumps will be dispatched to major roads. We believe in working indiscriminately across all districts of Karachi and will respond to critics through our work, he said.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited several drains including Bilawal Chowrangi Nala, Essa Nagri Nala, Songal Nala, and Nursery Nala, and inspected drainage arrangements in various locations in District Korangi such as Khadda Stop, Ten Thousand Road, Kala Board Malir, Falaknaz Plaza, a
nd Railway Crossing. He issued on the spot instructions to the official concerned during his visit.
Mayor Karachi directed that all choking points in the drains be cleared daily and the cleaning process be accelerated. Along with major drains other drains in suburban areas should also be cleaned to prevent drainage issues. The removal of encroachments around Gujjar Nala and Mehmoodabad Nala has facilitated the drainage of rainwater, and all choking points in these drains have been cleared. Encroachments from other stormwater drains will also be removed to ensure smooth drainage during future rains, he said.
The Mayor Karachi noted that rainwater accumulation at Nursery on Shahrah-e-Faisal severely disrupts traffic. Therefore, every effort is being made to ensure optimal drainage arrangements at such locations. Machinery and pumps used in this process will be kept ready for immediate dispatch, he said.
He appealed to the public to avoid throwing household waste and other debris into the stormwater drains an
d to dispose of waste only at designated spots so that the cleaning staff can transport it to landfill sites.
He said that keeping the city clean is a collective responsibility, and all citizens must play their part.
He assured that all necessary preparations have been made to tackle the anticipated rains, and the relevant staff have been instructed to start drainage work on the roads as soon as the rains begin.
He said that adequate pumps have been arranged to facilitate the swift drainage of rainwater from low-lying areas and other locations. KMC, in collaboration with town administrations, is implementing the devised strategy, striving to ensure that Karachi’s residents do not face any inconvenience during the rains, he said.