Karachi needs monsoon-ready urban governance

Multiple weather forecasts suggest that Pakistan and Karachi may yet see an abnormal monsoon season this year, with experts predicting even worse flooding than the 2022 deluge that affected thousands of residents and caused massive displacement and damage.

Now, the city’s aging drainage system, overflowing landfills, and unplanned urban sprawl all pose the same question, will this monsoon be any different, or will Karachi’s urban governance fail yet again?

Karachi, like all low-lying coastal cities has been particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, experiencing some of the worst weather-related anomalies in recent years.

To make matters worse, the city’s mushroom unplanned growth and challenges of encroachment has left it a concrete jungle, without a green cover to moderate temperatures or stabilize precipitation levels, further intensifying the effects of climate change.

Ironically, despite its sheer size and scale, or perhaps because of a rapid mushrooming growth, the infrastructure in Karachi has fallen behind its requirements.

Our drainage systems themselves are significantly narrowed or choked, preventing the smooth flow of water that they were designed for. Urban planners and architects often point out the fact that there has not been a comprehensive investment in the city’s drainage system.

The lines of sewage and nullahs have been used as rainwater drainage, which is why the system collapses during every rainfall. In fact, some experts claim that even if a functional drainage system was to magically manifest itself into existence, it would not drastically improve the city’s conditions.

Since Karachi’s roads have not been designed in slopes, the rainwater has nowhere to go and remains stagnant on the streets, waiting to be manually pumped into drains.

Karachi being a mega city is home to nearly 20 million people that produce 16,500 tons of municipal waste every day. 81 percent of the waste generated is collected through official channels, but only one percent of this is managed in an environmentally sound way or in controlled facilities.

Everything else indiscriminately dumped in open spaces and drains not only creating a public health hazard but also the perfect recipe for floods.

Nearly every monsoon season, Karachi transforms into a city under siege. Familiar scenes of submerged vehicles, flooded underpasses, and rain-damaged homes become a grim reality, bringing public transport to a standstill and forcing electric distribution companies to limit power supply out of safety concerns.

Building a rain-resilient Karachi has become an overdue necessity. Urban planners continue to stress the importance of a comprehensive roadmap.

A strategy that prioritizes both infrastructure improvements and preventative measures against monsoon rains has to be formulated.

On the infrastructure side, key areas for investment should include modernization of the drainage system, redesigning of roads for improved water flow, and building of new drainage channels. These improvements will ensure efficient water management during heavy rains.

However, a crucial long-term solution lies in preventing further urban sprawl. Implementing regulations to restrict unplanned housing and commercial development in high-risk climate change zones and strategies to combat encroachment on existing drainage systems.

However, according to several experts, including environmentalists, building resilient infrastructure is only half of the work.

The more pressing issue to address is in the other half which hinges on educating people, warning them against the possible life-threatening consequence of encroachment on nullahs, and careless waste disposal that clogs water drains. Infrastructure upgrades must be complemented by appropriate interventions to inculcate a sense of civic responsibility.

Otherwise, one can invest billions of rupees to construct 100-feet wide drains, only for them to immediately become clogged again by irresponsibly discarded trash.

In the event of a monsoon or any crisis, the eventual water-logging will hinder utility and emergency services from accessing areas, adding to the difficulties faced by the system.

To address urban issues related to climate change and regulations collaboration between local governments and stakeholders to ensure effective, inclusive, and sustainable solutions remains paramount. By working together, these entities can leverage vast local knowledge, integrate cross-sectoral solutions, and pool resources more efficiently. Collaboration can also foster better community engagement, regulatory compliance, and adaptability, leading to enhanced accountability and transparency.

Additionally, shared efforts will enable the implementation of best practices, promote sustainable development, and build urban resilience, ultimately making such collaborative approaches more effective than isolated initiatives.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024