KARACHI: In the aftermath of three-year-old Ibrahim's death after falling into an open drain, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in its investigation report has held the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and the superstore administration responsible for the incident.
"The ongoing BRT construction work at the location is a significant contributing factor based on reports from concerned inspectors and area residents."
"The BRT construction has resulted in severe damage and disruption of the entire drainage system which runs from Nipa towards Aziz Bhatti Park," reads the KMC report sent to the local government secretary.
The report concerns the Sunday's unfortunate incident where a three-year-old child slipped into the uncovered manhole in front of a departmental store located at Nipa, as the family exited it.
Residents immediately called the local authorities, but no official help arrived. With time slipping away, locals arranged a crane on their own — paying for the vehicle and its diesel — and began digging.
Rescue volunteers from Edhi and Chhipa assisted, but lacking the technical expertise required for such an operation, they were unable to locate the child.
Despite repeated calls for assistance, administrative machinery only arrived the next morning, nearly 12 hours later, and began operations around 10am.
Ibrahim’s body was eventually recovered about 1.5 kilometres downstream in the drainage channel 14 hours later.
The tragedy since then has not only warranted a strong reaction from opposition lawmakers but has also resulted in public outcry, with netizens censuring the authorities for their negligence and incompetence.
Providing insight into the incident, the KMC probe report said that, "It was observed that at most locations the drains were covered with temporary 2x2 feet square covers. Unfortunately, one of these covers was reportedly left open".
Highlighting that the "procedure of covering cleaning pits with 2x2 feet square covers from Nipa to Aziz Bhatti Park road is a non-standard practice never implemented by KMC", the authority said that the BRT authorities failed to formally notify or obtain clearance prior to carrying out this work.
"These pits were excavated by BRT officials and subsequently paved over during road construction."
"The incident occurred due to the carelessness of both the concerned BRT officials and the management of the department store as neither took adequate measures to secure the open drain," the report concludes.
