Karachi’s leading business representatives have urged the Sindh government to review the operational framework governing road excavations by utility companies, warning that prolonged restoration delays following gas pipeline works are disrupting commercial activity, worsening traffic congestion and posing serious safety risks across the city.
In a letter addressed to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah today, Chairman of the Businessmen Group (BMG) Zubair Motiwala and President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Muhammad Rehan Hanif called for an immediate policy review and a transparent accountability mechanism to ensure timely reconstruction of roads after utility work is completed.
The two business leaders said that while the business community fully supports the modernization, rehabilitation and expansion of the gas distribution network to improve safety, reduce leakages and enhance service delivery, the execution of these projects has caused widespread hardship for citizens and businesses.
They noted that roads across numerous commercial, industrial and residential areas had been dug up over the past several months for pipeline installation, replacement and rehabilitation. However, many of the affected roads remain either unrepaired or only partially restored long after the completion of excavation work, leaving commuters, transporters, residents and businesses to deal with persistent disruption.
According to the business leaders, the deteriorating road conditions have intensified traffic congestion, increased travel time and transportation costs, damaged vehicles and created significant hazards for motorists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and schoolchildren. They added that the impact has been particularly severe in commercial and industrial districts, where delays in the movement of goods, employees, suppliers and customers are undermining business efficiency.
They stressed that, as Pakistan’s commercial hub, Karachi cannot afford prolonged disruptions to mobility because such interruptions directly affect productivity, trade and the broader national economy.
Motiwala and Hanif questioned how large-scale excavation projects could proceed without a comprehensive and enforceable mechanism requiring the immediate restoration of damaged roads. They said it was difficult to understand why publicly funded roads were being extensively excavated and then left in a deteriorated condition for months after utility work had ended.
The business leaders urged the provincial government to clarify the terms and conditions under which Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) had been granted permission to carry out road-cutting operations throughout the city. They also sought clarification on whether those approvals required the company to restore roads immediately after completing pipeline work or whether responsibility for restoration rested with another government department.
They further said reports indicated that utility companies were required to pay road-cutting and restoration charges before excavation work was authorized. If such fees were indeed being collected, they questioned why road reconstruction continued to face lengthy delays and called on the authorities to disclose how those funds were being utilized and which institution was responsible for ensuring prompt restoration.
Highlighting what they described as poor coordination among public agencies, the BMG chairman and KCCI president said the current situation reflected weak institutional collaboration between SSGC, local government bodies, municipal authorities and other relevant departments. They said citizens should not bear the consequences of administrative shortcomings or overlapping jurisdictions.
They emphasized that infrastructure development should be carried out in a manner that safeguards public convenience, road safety and economic activity. They also called for a unified implementation mechanism under which excavation, pipeline installation and road restoration would be treated as inseparable phases of a single project rather than independent responsibilities.
The business leaders urged the chief minister to direct all relevant departments to immediately restore roads where pipeline works had already been completed and establish a transparent monitoring system defining the responsibilities and timelines of every agency involved.
Motiwala and Hanif expressed confidence that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah would give the matter urgent attention and introduce effective measures to protect the interests of Karachi’s residents, businesses and industries while ensuring that future infrastructure projects are implemented in a more coordinated, accountable and public-friendly manner.