In Karachi, residents of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) witnessed their worst fears materialize as heavy rainfall turned their neighborhood into chaos. Flooded streets swallowed vehicles and pedestrians, with sinkholes appearing, prompting some to dub DHA as ‘Disaster Housing Authority’.
On Saturday, when it started raining, heavy property taxpayers of the DHA were stranded on the roads, able to move as little as three kilometers in four to five hours. And then when they finally reached home, there was no electricity and no gas. The gas is shut off at night anyway and the power was shut off for safety reasons.
Despite the construction of new storm water drains, areas like Phase IV Commercial Avenue and Khayaban-i-Bahria remained inundated, with some residents claiming the situation worsened. Power and gas outages compounded the misery, leaving taxpayers stranded for hours. Frustrated residents took to social media to express their grievances.
Rashid Hussain lamented the deteriorating conditions, while Nilofer Ahmed highlighted recurring floods on Commercial Avenue. Despite efforts by Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) rescue teams, residents questioned the effectiveness of the drainage system and criticized the mismanagement of funds.
Concerns were raised about safety hazards caused by ongoing construction work, with accidents reported in various areas. Disillusioned by the lack of response from authorities, some residents contemplated relocating to safer areas within Karachi.
On Sunday, several residents of the DHA, no matter what phase they resided in, were found to be seriously considering looking for drier, safer accommodations anywhere in Karachi.
CBC and DHA officials were unreachable for comment.