KARACHI: The long-awaited rehabilitation of the Garden Water Pumping Station has been completed, marking a significant improvement in water supply to several areas of Karachi, Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab announced. The restoration, which cost Rs. 30.25 million, was inaugurated by Wahab, who is also the Chairman of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation.

According to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the Garden Pumping Station, originally installed in 2005, had remained non-operational due to the absence of an electricity connection from K-Electric. The rehabilitation included comprehensive repairs to the civil structure, panel room, staff room, and boundary walls. Additionally, vital mechanical work was undertaken, including the rewinding and upgrading of electric motors and the installation of new motor control boards and cables.

The newly restored facility will supply water through a 24-inch-diameter line to neighborhoods including Nishter Road, Garden, Ghas Mandi, and others, as well as through an 18-inch-diameter line to Usmanabad, Badshahi Road, and adjacent areas. This upgrade is expected to benefit approximately 300,000 residents and significantly enhance the water supply system in Garden, Soldier Bazaar, Lyari, and surrounding areas.

Mayor Wahab highlighted the neglect of the pumping station over the past two decades, attributing it to political dynamics of the time. He criticized the previous administration for failing to make the facility operational and commended the efforts of the former Water Board officials in the station’s restoration.

In addressing broader municipal issues, Wahab criticized ongoing protests by Jamaat-e-Islami, urging that demonstrations should not disrupt the city’s daily life. He emphasized Karachi’s need for sustained development and progress, distancing current efforts from past politics of division and fear. Wahab concluded by reaffirming the city’s commitment to unity and growth, ensuring that the era of fear in Karachi has ended.