Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (Retd), during a two-day visit, reviewed in detail the construction progress on key sites of the Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme (K-IV Project) being constructed by WAPDA on behalf of the Federal Government to cater for the water needs of Karachi, the economic hub and the largest city of the country. The key work fronts visited by the Chairman included the intake structure and pumping stations at Keenjhar Lack in district Thatta, the water conveyance system comprising high-pressure pipelines from Keenjhar Lack to Karachi, and one of the filtration plants at Karachi.
During the visit, the General Manager and Project Director, along with the Contractors and the Consultants, briefed the Chairman on site and contract-wise progress, key targets, and their completion schedules. The K-IV Project has been divided into eight contract packages for its completion on a fast-track basis. At present, construction work is underway on all key sites for these contract packages. The overall physical progress on the Project is 64 per cent, with a total expenditure of Rs. 86 billion. WAPDA stands committed to completing the K-IV during 2026, provided the funds are made available accordingly. The briefing also covered the Project’s current financial status and funding requirements in the days ahead.
The Chairman, highlighting the critical significance of the Project for Karachi, urged the Contractors to expedite work by deploying additional resources to meet the timelines. The Contractor, in particular, working on Pipeline-2 (PL-2), needs to catch up on the construction schedule for the respective contract package. The Chairman directed the Project Team to be in close liaison with the Government of Sindh for the smooth implementation of the Project. He expressed hope that the Provincial Government will complete the Water Distribution/Augmentation Project in time, so that the benefits of the K-IV could be fully accrued.
K-IV Project envisages providing 650 million gallons per day (MGD) of water to Karachi from Keenjhar Lake. The Project is planned for completion in two phases. At present, WAPDA is constructing Phase I of the Project to supply 260 MGD of water to Karachi. The subsequent phases, when implemented, will add another 390 MGD of water to the system.
Earlier, Chairman WAPDA also visited all work sites of the Nai Gaj Dam Project to assess the situation on the ground and devise a strategy to resume construction work, which has been suspended since February 2025. General Manager Projects (South), Project Director and Consultants were also present on the occasion. It is important to note that construction work on the Project is suspended for several reasons, including litigation by the Contractor, very slow progress in the past, and funding issues. The Project can bring 28800 acres of barren land under cultivation, besides generating 4.2 MW of low-cost electricity for local communities.
