KARACHI: In one of the major neighbourhood-level interventions since the new local government system came into place in 2023, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has approved nearly Rs300 million per year —Rs100,000 per month each — for 246 union committees (UCs) to exclusively maintain manhole covers and streetlights.
The decision came in a move triggered by a public outrage after a three-year-old boy drowned in an uncovered nullah near NIPA.
“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,” Mayor Murtaza Wahab told Dawn, clarifying that the city administration is not abdicating its responsibility for covering manholes and fixing streetlights, but is instead giving some financial powers to the UCs to help keep them maintained.
The announcement came directly from Mayor Murtaza Wahab, who said that the new mechanism had been designed to give fiscal space to the union committees, which are currently receiving Rs1.2 million each per month, an amount recently enhanced from half a million rupees.
Under the new summary approved by Mayor Wahab on Monday, each of the 246 UCs across the city would receive additional Rs100,000 every month to maintain the manhole covers and streetlights in their neighbourhoods.
Mayor Wahab says KMC is financially empowering UCs for infrastructure upkeep
Although the manhole covers are provided by both the KWSC and the KMC, he said, it was deemed necessary to take an additional step. Therefore, the KMC has decided to provide additional money to every UC, specifically and exclusively for streetlight maintenance and manhole cover requirements, he added.
An official told this reporter that according to the newly-passed summary by the mayor, the KMC would disburse Rs24.60 million every month to 246 UCs across the city and almost Rs300 million in a year for the maintenance of manhole covers and streetlights.
“The KWSC has already notified all towns and UCs for smooth supplies of the manhole covers and for the public-level engagement. The mayor has also set up helpline 1334 and email complaint@kmc.gos.pk, asking people to identify any open manholes and report them,” he added.
The move marks the first direct financial intervention by the KMC at the UC level since June 2023, when the current local government system was put in place. Since then, the KMC has largely relied on departmental coordination and inter-agency mechanisms to manage routine tasks, avoiding decentralised financial allocations to the UCs.
The decision comes against the backdrop of intense public outrage following the NIPA tragedy, which reignited criticism over the local government system’s failure to maintain essential civic infrastructure. However, despite releasing funds to the UCs, the authorities have not shared any mechanism to monitor or ensure that the money is spent for its intended purpose.
The official said the new allocation will be released from the Municipal Utility Charges and Taxes (MUCT) account, enabling each UC to respond quickly to the complaints, improve neighborhood infrastructure and deliver essential municipal services more effectively. Implemented in August 2024, the KMC aims at generating an annual income of Rs4 billion through the MUCT being collected through K-Electric (KE) bills.
Mayor Wahab hopes that the fresh initiative would help prevent “unfortunate incidents” in the city and to ensure that municipal issues at the local level are addressed promptly and effectively.
“The safety and well-being of Karachi’s citizens remain the city administration’s top priority, and this decision marks another stride toward building a safer, well-lit, and efficiently managed Karachi,” he added.
Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2025.