Karachi's K-IV halted over technical issues in design, route and functionality

LAHORE: Finding serious technical issues in design, route and functionality, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) halted Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) and stressed that the project could not proceed without resolving the problems, The News.

The development came after Wapda Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Muzammil Hussain visited the site with seasoned engineers, project advisors, general managers for coordination and monitoring water, central design, hydro planning and South projects. 

The team took a detailed round of K-IV Intake located at Keenjhar Lake in Thatta where it was briefed on the current status of the project with the Sindh government highlighting impediments in the construction. 

The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) project manager gave an overview of construction while OCL consultant director briefed the team on issues hampering the project. They also saw an aerial view of the project.

A Wapda team is tasked to compile a report detailing major issues hindering the project construction and their possible solutions to determine a way forward. 

The project

Karachi’s rapid urbanisation, unchecked population growth, and increased industrialisation have multiplied its water woes, as each new government has made the K-IV part of its package announcements. 

The recent setback is bound to further escalate the cost of the project and increase delays.

The K-IV Project envisages to supply 260 million gallons per day of water to Karachi in Phase-I, which was approved by the ECNEC at revised cost of Rs25.552 billion for supplying 260 MGD of water to Karachi metropolitan. 

Under the financing mechanism approved by the ECNEC, the cost of the project was shared by the federal and provincial governments on the basis of 50:50 percent cost sharing.

The project was earlier being undertaken by the Sindh government. However, the federal government, under an arrangement with the provincial government, has now taken up its implementation as part of the Prime Minister’s Package for Karachi.

Two weeks ago, the federal government gave WAPDA the responsibility to take over the implementation of the municipal infrastructure project.