Red Line Project Denies Responsibility for Karachi Manhole Tragedy

A three-year-old boy’s death after falling into an open manhole in Karachi has triggered a rare public clash between the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project, with both sides denying responsibility for the tragedy.

The child fell into the uncovered manhole near Nipa in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Sunday night. His body was recovered around 15 hours later on Monday.

Following the incident, KMC issued an inquiry report blaming “carelessness” by Red Line project officials and the management of a nearby department store.

The report alleged that ongoing BRT construction had damaged the drainage system from Nipa to Aziz Bhatti Park and that temporary, non-standard covers were left on drains, one of which was reportedly open near the store.

It further claimed BRT officials failed to notify KMC before excavation work.

Within hours, the BRT Red Line management issued a strong rebuttal, calling the KMC findings “a serious oversight”.

In a letter to KMC, the project team stated that no construction, excavation, or barricading existed near the incident site and stressed that the location was “a considerable distance” from ongoing work.

The Red Line management added that it has no role in maintaining sewerage or nullah infrastructure.

The letter said the store’s parking area where the child fell was far from the project zone, and blaming the BRT amounted to “a distraction from actual responsibilities”.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah suspended five officials for alleged negligence: Senior Director Municipal Services Imran Rajput, TMC Gulshan AEE Rashid Fayaz, KWSC Executive Engineer Waqar Ahmed, Gulshan Assistant Commissioner Amir Ali Shah, and Mukhtiarkar Salman Farsi.

The tragedy has intensified scrutiny of Karachi’s deteriorating civic infrastructure, with both government bodies now under pressure to explain the circumstances that led to the fatal oversight.