Residents of Scheme 33 have raised serious concerns over ongoing and proposed construction activities on a natural stormwater channel known as Abbas Town Nala, warning that further encroachments could lead to severe flooding in the area during heavy rains.
Locals said the water channel, located in Scheme 33 and passing through Abul Hassan Ispahani Road, was originally a natural river around 40 years ago. However, over time, continuous construction activities gradually reduced its width, turning it into a narrow drain.
Residents said that the situation worsened after the launch of a commercial market project in 1997. Although the project faced strong public opposition and was temporarily halted, its structure remained intact. Later, construction resumed and the market was eventually completed despite resistance from local residents.
They added that the current concern is a new proposed construction project on approximately two to 2.5 acres of land adjacent to the existing market, which is also part of the original riverbed. Residents fear that if this project is completed, the remaining portion of the Abbas Town Nala could be completely blocked.
Locals warned that in such a scenario, heavy rainfall could trigger severe urban flooding in surrounding Goths, residential societies, and apartments along Abul Hassan Ispahani Road and its surroundings. Affected areas include Post Office Society, Green Land, Ali Town, Sikandar Goth, and other nearby localities.
Residents said the area already experiences water accumulation and partial flooding during heavy rains due to the reduced capacity of the drain. They cautioned that further narrowing or closure of the water channel would significantly increase the risk of both property damage and potential loss of life.
A campaign and peaceful protests are already underway in the area, with residents urging authorities to immediately stop construction activities and restore the natural flow of the drain. They warned that if their concerns are not addressed, they may be forced to intensify their protests, adding that any deterioration in law and order would be the responsibility of the authorities.
Local resident DSP (retd) Naeem Khan said the channel was originally a natural stream that gradually turned into a drain over time. “Now builders are attempting to construct over it again, which is dangerous,” he said.
Abdul Qudoos Khan, general secretary of Ali Housing Project Welfare Association, said the issue affects the entire Abul Hassan Ispahani Road. He noted that the stormwater drain exists in the 1959 master plan of Karachi and that encroachments began in 1997, leading to repeated legal and administrative disputes.
Former minister Abdul Qayyum Khan said that despite court orders and stay directives, construction activities have resumed in parts of the area, while Sirajuddin of Sikandar Goth demanded immediate action to prevent a possible disaster during the upcoming monsoon season.
PPP District East President Iqbal Sandh said that more than 500,000 residents are affected and the matter has been under litigation in the Sindh High Court since 2012. Meanwhile, Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) from PS-99 Syed Farhan Ansari has also written letters to the Karachi mayor, commissioner, deputy commissioner East, and the KMC municipal commissioner, urging immediate action against illegal constructions on the drain.
Residents and elected representatives have jointly called on authorities to halt all encroachments, protect the remaining natural water channel, and take preventive measures to avoid a potential urban flooding crisis in Scheme 33 and adjoining areas.
