Karachi: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) is undertaking a massive gas pipeline rehabilitation project worth Rs25 billion, aiming to improve the supply of natural gas to households, industries, and commercial consumers in Karachi, Sindh, and Balochistan.
However, the project has faced criticism from citizens and local authorities due to delays in road reconstruction after pipeline installation, causing significant inconvenience for commuters.
Breakdown of Project Costs
According to SSGC Deputy Managing Director, Operations, Syed Muhammad Saeed Rizvi, nearly 60% to 70% of the total budget is allocated for road reconstruction, with payments made in advance to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), District Municipal Corporations (DMC), and Karachi Development Authority (KDA).
The remaining 30% to 40% is being spent on:
Purchasing gas pipes Labour costs for laying the pipelines
Pipeline Expansion & Road Repair Concerns
The utility company is laying new pipelines across several locations in Karachi, including:
DHA Phase-II Extension Lyari, Baldia, North Nazimabad, North Karachi, Garden, and Malir Upper Sindh towns
Despite prior payments for road repairs, citizens have raised concerns that roads remain unrepaired for extended periods, making daily commutes difficult. Some departments claim they have not received the required funds from SSGC, leading to disputes over accountability.
Rizvi, however, clarified that SSGC cannot cut roads or lay pipelines without obtaining official permissions from concerned government departments, and that infrastructure rehabilitation is a time-consuming process.
Key Challenge: Major distribution pipelines must be installed before service lines are connected to end-consumers, which causes delays in road restoration.
Gas Supply Shortage & Load Management
Despite these efforts, Pakistan continues to face worsening gas shortages due to the depletion of natural gas reserves and the widening gap between supply and demand.
- Current Gas Supply: 730 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd)
- Total Demand: 1,100 mmcfd
- Deficit Management: Through industrial and household load management
With a network spanning 50,000 km, SSGC currently services 3.2 million consumers in Sindh and Balochistan.
Future Expansion & Budget Allocation
The five-year pipeline rehabilitation project in Karachi is expected to be completed by FY 2025-26. In the final phase, SSGC will rehabilitate another 2,000 km of gas pipelines in Karachi, requiring an additional budget in FY26.
Conclusion
While the Rs25 billion project aims to enhance gas distribution efficiency, road repair delays have become a major concern for residents. Authorities and stakeholders must coordinate more effectively to ensure timely completion of infrastructure rehabilitation while addressing Pakistan’s growing energy crisis.
