Karachi [Pakistan] February 26 : Public demonstrations against electricity outages and water scarcity are leading to major traffic jams, causing considerable disruption for commuters in the city, as reported by ARY News.
As per the Karachi traffic police, residents on Jahangir Road protested due to extended periods without water and electricity, resulting in heavy traffic as mentioned by ARY News.
The protesters set tyres on fire and blocked roads, claiming that the electricity supply had been cut off in their area for four consecutive days, according to ARY News.
ARY News reported that neighbouring areas such as Garden, Central Jail, Teen Hatti, Jamshed Quarters, Guru Mandir, and Soldier Bazar are experiencing gridlock because of the demonstration. Furthermore, a different protest surfaced in the Landhi region of Karachi due to persistent water shortages, leading to long lines of vehicles and worsening the situation during peak traffic hours.
Commuters are encouraged to verify updates before heading out, as traffic diversions may frequently change. In the meantime, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) confirmed that the repair work on two major pipelines in the city has been finished, as highlighted by ARY News.
KWSC officials shared that the pipeline repairs commenced on Saturday and were completed in 72 hours. The pipelines are anticipated to be fully operational within 17 hours, with the water supply to the city expected to return to normal within 32 hours, according to the ARY News report.
A KWSC spokesperson indicated that water distribution from the Dhabeji pumping station has restarted, and it will take 12 hours for the water to reach Karachi. It's noteworthy that the water supply from Dhabeji was halted for three days due to the repair work, resulting in a significant water deficiency in District East, Central, and older sections of the city, as stated by ARY News.
Earlier another leak appeared in a recently repaired pipeline at the Dhabeji pumping station in Karachi, as reported by the Express Tribune.
The Express Tribune noted that the situation was further complicated by a decrease in water supply at government hydrants and the suspension of operations at several regional pumping stations. As a result, citizens were compelled to buy water from tankers at exorbitant rates.
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