KMC anti-encroachment operations continue along Karachi’s Gujjar and Orangi nullahs

KMC anti-encroachment operations continue along Karachi’s Gujjar and Orangi nullahs

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation is simultaneously removing encroachments from the Gujjar and Orangi nullahs in the city.

The anti-encroachment operation along the Gujjar nullah began February 18, while officials started clearing the Orangi nullah February 26.

How far these stormwater drains have been cleared?

Gujjar nullah

The KMC has removed soft encroachments on either side of the 12.8km Gujjar nullah. It is the longest stormwater drain in Karachi

KMC teams have removed concrete structures on both sides of a 2.5km strip of the drain too, according to Senior KMC Director Bashir Siddiqui.

“We will hand over the cleared area to the Frontier Works Organisation on Wednesday to initiate the construction of a road,” he told SAMAA Digital. “The remaining 10.3km area will be cleared before the monsoon season.”

The KMC marked 4,058 concrete structures for demolition on both sides of the drain. Of them, 3,137 units will be affected more than 30%. The affectees will be provided Rs15,000 per month rent for two years.

Orangi nullah

The Orangi nullah has been cleared of all soft encroachments too. It took the KMC 12 days.

It will now start removing concrete structures from the drain, according to Siddiqui. Officials will distribute compensation cheques among residents of 250 houses by Thursday.

A total of 1,703 concrete structures exist on either side of the Orangi nullah. Of them, the KMC will demolish 1,127 units up to 30% or more.

The Sindh government decided to remove encroachments around drains following the August 2020 urban floods in the city.

It tasked the NED University’s Infrastructure Engineering and Urban Development Department with chalking out a permanent technical solution to the issue. The NED University team decided to widen the Mehmoodabad, Gujjar and Orangi nullahs first.

The KMC started removing encroachments from the Mehmoodabad nullah in the first week of January. The operation was completed in a month.

A total of 239 concrete structures were demolished in the Mehmoodabad nullah operation. Of them, 59 units were destroyed 30% or more.

from SAMAA https://ift.tt/3cfGEC3