The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation has launched a development initiative worth over Rs. 700 million to rehabilitate the city’s Old City, with Mayor Murtaza Wahab laying the foundation stone on Sunday. The projects aim to improve roads, upgrade sewerage systems, and enhance public facilities in key commercial areas, with a target completion date of June 30 for the main works.
The core project, costing Rs. 595.6 million, will cover Jodia Bazaar, Bolton Market, Mithadar, and Kharadar. Plans include extensive road reconstruction and major upgrades to underground sewerage networks across all four areas. The project will involve laying around 400,000 square feet of paver blocks and constructing approximately 850,000 square feet of roads. Sewerage upgrades include installing over 2,600 feet of new pipelines in Jodia Bazaar and more than 4,000 feet in Bolton Market. Mithadar and Kharadar will receive around 4,050 feet and 4,100 feet of new sewerage lines, respectively.
In addition, the KMC has allocated Rs. 100 million for the restoration of the historic Lea Market building. The restoration is expected to take 90 days and will be carried out in coordination with local traders. Mayor Wahab emphasized that 2026 has been declared the year for completing development projects and that modernizing the Old City’s infrastructure is a top priority for the city administration.
