Red Line Digging Damages Gas Pipeline, Hits Karachi Supply

Karachi gas pipeline damage during lunch hours on Saturday suspended supply to several areas of the city, after a high-pressure line was ruptured during excavation work for the Bus Rapid Transit Red Line on University Road.

The disruption affected Gulshan-i-Iqbal, areas around Mazar-i-Quaid, parts of Garden, Saddar, Burns Road and several other localities.

A spokesperson for the Sui Southern Gas Company said the high-pressure pipeline near the Gulshan-i-Iqbal telephone exchange on University Road was damaged at around 1pm during BRT construction activity.

Repairs done by 5pm, low pressure lingered

SSGC teams immediately reached the site and started repair work, which was completed by 5pm. “After completion of the work, gas supply was restored,” the spokesperson said.

Residents in the affected areas said the sudden suspension caused considerable inconvenience, particularly during cooking hours. Several households reported disruption in preparing afternoon meals, while commercial eateries and roadside hotels in Saddar and Garden saw a rush of customers as many people had no option but to dine out or take food home for their families.

Domestic consumers complained that low pressure persisted even after the announced restoration time.

Many families said they had to arrange food from nearby restaurants. “We had guests at home and the gas suddenly disappeared. We had to order biryani from a nearby hotel, which cost us extra besides causing embarrassment,” said Rozina Adnan, a resident of Saddar.

Another resident from Garden said his wife could not cook and they had to bring food from a restaurant for the children.

Karachi gas pipeline damage comes a day after shutdown

The incident is the second blow to Karachi’s gas consumers in as many days. SSGC had already announced an overnight gas shutdown in Karachi for mainline repairs, leaving large parts of the city without supply through the night. Saturday’s unplanned pipeline damage meant many of the same households faced a fresh outage within 24 hours.

The Red Line project has repeatedly disrupted city life along University Road, one of Karachi’s busiest arteries, as excavation and utility relocation continue. The city is meanwhile racing to upgrade its roads, with Sindh inviting tenders for Rs2.09bn in Baldia Stadium Road works, though each accidental strike on underground infrastructure adds hours of unplanned outages to a schedule already strained by maintenance shutdowns.

The fragility extends beyond gas. Hyderabad’s crumbling power network has been flagged as a safety risk, and the finance minister has warned about the energy outlook from attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure. For now, SSGC says supply has been restored. But the back-to-back disruptions underline how fragile the city’s gas network has become, and how quickly a single excavation error can ripple across neighbourhoods from Gulshan-i-Iqbal to Burns Road.

*Source: Dawn*

What caused the Karachi gas pipeline damage?

A high-pressure SSGC pipeline near the Gulshan-i-Iqbal telephone exchange on University Road was damaged at around 1pm on Saturday during excavation work for the BRT Red Line project.

Which areas were affected?

Gulshan-i-Iqbal, areas around Mazar-i-Quaid, parts of Garden, Saddar, Burns Road and several other localities faced suspension during lunch hours, with low pressure reported even after restoration.

Was this the first Karachi gas outage this week?

No. SSGC had already carried out an announced overnight shutdown for mainline repairs, so many households faced a second disruption within 24 hours.