Karachi: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is taking decisive steps to address the issues of substandard road construction in the city, including blacklisting responsible contractors and removing officials from their positions. This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve infrastructure and ensure the durability of roadwork in Pakistan’s most populous city.

According to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the spokesperson for KMC refuted claims that the corporation is lenient on those responsible for poor road construction. The spokesperson confirmed that KMC is actively addressing any defects found in road construction by taking stringent actions against the involved officials, engineers, and contractors. Contractors found guilty of subpar work are being blacklisted, and departmental officials are facing removal from their positions.

In a recent meeting, Mayor of Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, discussed with engineering department officials the ongoing repair work for roads damaged by recent rains. He highlighted that KMC manages 106 main roads and highways in Karachi, while local town administrations are responsible for the minor and internal city roads. The repair work is being conducted at a cost of two billion rupees, with the aim of expediting the construction and repair work across all districts. Mayor Wahab emphasized that only contractors who meet the necessary quality standards will be awarded contracts for road construction and repairs.

Mayor Wahab also stated that no further negligence or delays in road construction will be tolerated. All contracts will be awarded based on merit, and no recommendations, including his own, will be accepted. Contractors failing to meet the specified standards will be immediately blacklisted. He stressed that both the Sindh government and the leadership of KMC are committed to ensuring that every allocated penny for the city’s development is spent on developmental work, avoiding any wastage of funds due to substandard work. Ensuring the quality of infrastructure restoration and repair work in Karachi is crucial, so the constructed roads are durable and the citizens can benefit from them for an extended period.