Karachi: DHA to pump rainwater for high road levels

[LRE]

DHA to pump rainwater for high road levels

By Shahzad Shah Jillani

KARACHI: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has started reviewing complaints from residents from some sectors of Ph VIII who say that development has left their houses below or at road level, putting them at risk during the monsoons.

“According to the old master plan, the roads were constructed without a proper engineering design,” explained Zeeshan a resident of sector-A DHA Ph VIII. “But in the recent development and construction of new bungalows it emerged that the road and gate levels were the same. This could cause a lot of problems if there are heavy rains.”

The DHA’s recarpeting and sewerage work has also had the same effect. Last year, scores of residents complained that their underwater tanks were contaminated with storm water during the monsoons. There were reports that cars had been destroyed along with entire ground floors.

Not only is monsoon flooding feared, but a house’s drainage system could also be affected if the road is at the same level or higher. Real estate value could also be affected.

DHA spokesman Col (retd) Raffat Naqvi told Daily Times that the problem was being tackled by the DHA administration and compulsory measures were being taken to address the concerns of people living in the houses that were affected.

“DHA has decided to redesign the storm water drainage and ultimately, road levels will go below existing driveways,” he said. Until then, storm water will be pumped out in affected areas such as Sector A. Gravity drainage has been planned in other sectors of Ph VIII.

Naqvi said that DHA has to bear the extra installation, operation and maintenance costs for the pumping arrangements but he felt that it would tackle the problem. “Work is already underway after the storm water drainage system was designed,” he said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg12_9