KARACHI: In a major neighbourhood-level intervention, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has approved an annual allocation of nearly Rs300 million — amounting to Rs100,000 per month for each of the city’s 246 union committees (UCs) — dedicated solely to the maintenance of manhole covers and streetlights.
The move follows widespread public outrage over the recent death of a three-year-old boy who drowned after falling into an uncovered nullah near NIPA. City officials say the new initiative aims to prevent such tragedies by empowering local bodies to respond swiftly to infrastructure hazards.
Mayor Murtaza Wahab told Dawn that the new allocation is not meant to shift responsibility away from the KMC or the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), both of which continue to supply manhole covers and maintain streetlights. Instead, he said, the initiative is designed to give UCs “fiscal space” to ensure immediate repairs and upkeep.
Currently, each UC receives Rs1.2 million per month after a recent increase from Rs500,000. The new summary approved on Monday adds another Rs100,000 per month exclusively for manhole and streetlight maintenance. According to officials, this will amount to Rs24.6 million disbursed monthly across 246 UCs.
Although manhole covers are provided through both the KWSC and the KMC, Mayor Wahab said additional financial support was essential. He added that the KWSC has already notified towns and UCs to ensure smooth supply of covers and effective public engagement.
The mayor has also activated helpline 1334 and the email address [email protected], urging residents to report open manholes and streetlight failures. The funds will be released from the Municipal Utility Charges and Taxes (MUCT) account, which the KMC expects to generate around Rs4 billion annually through collection via K-Electric bills.
You May Also Like: Lawyers, citizens commend judges who resigned over 27th Amendment
The decision marks the first direct financial intervention at the UC level since the new local government system took effect in June 2023. Since then, the KMC has mostly relied on departmental coordination rather than decentralised funding, a gap criticised for contributing to chronic infrastructure issues across Karachi.
The move marks the first direct financial intervention by the KMC at the UC level since June 2023, when the current local government system was put in place.https://t.co/JeuPzXpvEj
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 9, 2025
However, despite the substantial allocation, officials have yet to detail a monitoring mechanism to ensure the funds are used for their intended purposes — a concern raised amid past lapses in municipal oversight.
Mayor Wahab expressed hope that the initiative would help avoid “unfortunate incidents” and improve response times to civic complaints. “The safety and well-being of Karachi’s citizens remain the city administration’s top priority,” he said, adding that the measure represents a step toward a “safer, well-lit, and efficiently managed Karachi.”
