Karachi’s 246 UCs to receive Rs 100,000 monthly for manhole covers and street lights

In a significant neighborhood-level initiative under the local government system introduced in 2023, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has allocated nearly Rs300 million annually, amounting to Rs100,000 per month for each of the 246 union committees (UCs), specifically for the maintenance of manhole covers and streetlights.

The decision was made after public outrages the incident of three-year-old Ibrahim who fell into an open manhole and lost his life.

The announcement came directly from Murtaza Wahab, who said that new mechanism has been designed to give fiscal space to the union committees, “And this is in addition to the manhole covers placed by the KWSC (Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation) and the streetlights fixed by the KMC.”

Under the revised plan endorsed by Mayor Wahab on Monday, all 246 union committees (UCs) in Karachi will be allocated an extra Rs100,000 monthly to oversee the upkeep of manhole covers and streetlights in their areas.

The KWSC has already notified towns and the UCs for the smooth coverage of manhole covers. The mayor has also set a helpline for the public complain for open manhole cover.

Mayor Wahab expressed optimism that the new initiative will help prevent “unfortunate incidents” in the city and ensure that local municipal problems are resolved quickly and efficiently.

He added that “the safety and well-being of Karachi’s residents remain the top priority,” calling the decision an important step toward creating a safer, better-lit, and more effectively managed city.