K-IV Water Pipeline Expansion Work on Karachi’s University Road Stalls, Causing Severe Traffic Disruptions

Work on the K-IV water pipeline expansion along University Road appears to have stalled as of January 7, 2026, with construction activity reportedly coming to a halt despite the road remaining closed. Commuters and local media have highlighted the lack of visible progress, raising concerns over worsening traffic congestion on one of Karachi’s busiest and most important thoroughfares.

The disruption is linked to the Karachi Water and Sewerage System Improvement Project, under which a 2.7-kilometre stretch of University Road between NIPA Chowrangi and Federal Urdu University was closed from November 10 to December 30, 2025. The closure was announced to facilitate the installation of massive 96-inch and 72-inch diameter pipelines, a key component of the long-delayed K-IV project aimed at improving water supply and distribution across Karachi.

While the temporary closure was expected to cause inconvenience, residents and daily commuters now report prolonged delays and gridlock due to the apparent suspension of work beyond the original timeline. The continued blockage of the road without visible construction has intensified public frustration, as University Road serves as a critical link for students, office workers, public transport, and commercial traffic.

The K-IV project is intended to address Karachi’s chronic water shortages by enhancing transmission capacity from the city’s main water sources. However, repeated delays, slow execution, and traffic mismanagement have drawn criticism, with commuters urging authorities to either resume work immediately or partially reopen the road to ease congestion. The situation has once again highlighted the broader challenges facing large-scale infrastructure projects in the city, particularly the lack of coordination between construction schedules and traffic planning.