Karachi, the largest metropolis of Pakistan is a city of contrasts. It boasts some of the tallest skyscrapers and largest industrial zones in the country, and simultaneously more than a third of the city comprises unplanned settlements. Providing utility services safely and reliably to such areas remains a serious challenge. Often, residents of these areas are economically vulnerable, with low propensity to pay resulting in rampant utility theft and default. This compounded by unfettered encroachments, weak law enforcement and fragmented governance creates unique hurdles for utility operators.
KE’s connection with Karachi is over 107 years old and extends beyond mere power provision. As an integral part of this vital and resilient city, we remain committed to serving it and uplifting it. As a company, whose very existence depends on this city thriving and as a resident of this city, I am convinced that our strength is linked with the progress of Karachi’s communities and social and civil infrastructure upgradation must go hand in hand to surmount obstacles to power delivery, particularly in under-served areas. This model has worked in areas such as Korangi – which is home to over one million people. Many parts of Korangi experienced up to seven hours of load-shedding on a daily basis on account of power theft which hampered industrial activities thus affecting employment growth and socio-economic decline. Through community engagement, upgrades to the power infrastructure of the area and CSR efforts, K-Electric was able to address the factors that perpetuated power theft, bringing load-shed duration down by four hours with the intent to zeroize it. In just Korangi, these efforts protected over 5,000 jobs in over 500 cottage industries benefitting entire families.
We were able to replicate this effort in other high-loss areas of Karachi, located in Baldia, Orangi, Surjani, Gadap, Malir, Landhi, Lyari, Nazimabad, Korangi and Liaquatabad which comprise roughly two thirds of the city’s population and consume one third of the total electricity. Under our Sarbulandi initiative, KE has committed PKR 10 billion in areas which experience load-shed due to power theft to rehabilitate and upgrade power infrastructure, install theft-resistant Aerial Bundled Cable (ABC) and create community spaces in just three years. These aggressive investments in the city’s most vulnerable communities are part of KE’s vision to make Karachi load-shed free by converting bare conductors to ABC, improving network health and safety equipment, eliminating illegal hooks strengthening governance.
Provision of electricity, however, is just one element of what is required in these areas which are deprived of basic necessities such as clean drinking water, access to basic health care and education. Considering the diversity and uniqueness of Karachi’s communities, a one-size-fits-all solution would have proven ineffective. Targeted strategies in line with ground realities for each area developed and executed in partnership with community representatives ensured win-win results. Load-shed hours in six very high loss (VHL) areas were reduced by over four hours, 50 feeders were shifted to a lower loss category and more than 10,000 PMTs were converted to ABC alongside metering of over 100,000 customers. Till date, we have benefitted over eight million people, across 400 communities through improved access to power, provision of clean drinking water, free medical treatments and commitments to hire for over 800 different positions from areas where this initiative is under way.
It has not been an easy journey with no-go areas, encroachments, and the struggle to get required permissions from various regulatory bodies and agencies that are involved in administering Karachi. And all of this would not be possible without KE’s dedicated field teams. They often work in unfriendly environments, come hell or high water, even wading through two feet of water or carrying ladders and other heavy equipment on their shoulders through the narrow lanes of katchi abadis and goths that increasingly make up Karachi’s landscape. Urban planners stress that Karachi’s communities as a whole can only evolve when public and private stakeholders work together for their betterment. Under our recently announced KHI Awards initiative we have extended our hands to work with many other social investment entities who are equally committed to working for Karachi, with the faith that working together synergistically, we will benefit Karachi even further.
(The writer is Chief Distribution Officer, K-Electric)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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