Karachi faces traffic jam due to protests against water shortage

KARACHI: Protests against electricity load shedding and water shortages are causing severe traffic jams, resulting in significant inconvenience for commuters in the city, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

According to Karachi traffic police, residents of Jahangir Road staged a protest over prolonged water and electricity outages, leading to traffic congestion.

The protestors burned tyres and blocked roads, saying the electricity supply had been disconnected in their locality for four days.

Adjacent areas, including Garden, Central Jail, Tein Hatti, Jamshed Quarters, Guru Mandir, and Soldier Bazar are facing gridlock due to the protest.

Additionally, a separate protest erupted in the Landhi area of Karachi over the ongoing water shortage, causing lengthy queues of vehicles, further exacerbating the situation during peak hours.

Commuters are advised to check for updates before travelling as traffic diversions are subject to change.

Meanwhile, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) announced the completion of the repair work on two major supply lines in the city.

According to KWSC officials, the repair work on the pipelines began on Saturday and was completed within 72 hours.

The pipelines will be fully charged in 17 hours, and the water supply to the city is expected to resume completely within 32 hours.

A spokesperson for KWSC stated that the water supply from the Dhabeji pumping station has begun, and it will take 12 hours for the water to reach Karachi.

Notably, the water supply from Dhabeji had been suspended for three days due to the repair work, causing a severe water shortage in District East, Central and Old City areas.