Major roads survive, but inner-city areas left in ruins
Karachi: It took just one spell of monsoon rain to expose the fragility of Karachi’s civic infrastructure. As the rain subsided, many inner-city streets and neighborhoods turned into pools of stagnant water, while overflowing drains and crumbling roads left residents stranded — and angry.
From blocked alleyways to collapsed streets, the situation has once again highlighted the deep-rooted issues in the city’s municipal planning. Despite having 25 administrative towns, not a single one was able to respond swiftly or effectively to the chaos. In several neighborhoods, heaps of uncollected garbage were seen floating in rainwater, raising fresh questions about the performance of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB).
While main arteries like Shahrah-e-Faisal or University Road remained mostly navigable, it was the interior areas — the real Karachi — that bore the brunt. In Korangi’s Qayyumabad, sections of the road caved in entirely. Similar scenes were reported in Shah Faisal Colony, Mahmoodabad, Manzoor Colony, Admin Society, Old City Area, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, New Karachi, North Karachi, Surjani, Baldia, and Orangi Town, where lanes have become impassable due to broken surfaces and standing water.
Gulberg, Nazimabad, and parts of Malir are now littered with piles of garbage that have only added to the misery. With more rain forecast over the coming weeks, residents are bracing for the worst — many wondering if the authorities will act before things spiral even further.
Model Colony: A Symbol of Systemic Failure
One of the starkest examples of Karachi’s infrastructural collapse can be found on Liaquat Ali Khan Road in Model Colony. What was once a busy, vital link is now a broken stretch of road, damaged by years of neglect, poor coordination between civic departments, and the latest blow — monsoon rains.
A section of the road collapsed after recent digging for a gas pipeline by Sui Southern Gas Company. That collapse was compounded by a failed sewerage line that flooded the area with filthy, stagnant water.
“This isn’t new,” said one local resident. “Every year, one rain is enough to sink our roads. No one is ever held accountable.”
As the city continues to face rainfall over the coming weeks, citizens fear this could just be the beginning. For many, Karachi’s urban decay is no longer about neglect — it’s a crisis that’s unfolding in plain sight.
