‘Poor infrastructure hindering industrial productivity’

HYDERABAD: Chairman Hyderabad SITE Association of Trade & Industry Zubair Ghangra has expressed deep concern over the rapidly deteriorating infrastructure in SITE Hyderabad.

He stated that the destruction of basic infrastructure and the unjustified delays in road construction have severely affected industrial production, exports, workforce mobility, and the movement of heavy transport within the industrial zone.

He said that SITE Hyderabad, which was once counted among Pakistan’s model industrial zones, is currently facing one of the worst administrative and developmental crises in its history. Due to the slow pace of road construction, heavy trucks and trailers are unable to reach factories on time, causing delays in the dispatch of finished orders and disrupting timely delivery to markets.

Ghangra added that these delays are causing substantial financial losses to industrialists, while thousands of workers are also facing extreme difficulties in reaching their workplaces. The situation worsens during rainfall, when major roads including Nara Jail Road, Fateh Chowk, and the PC and T-Series roads become completely submerged, bringing production activities to a standstill.

He said that although the government of Sindh had allocated approximately Rs. 1.10 billion for the rehabilitation of SITE Hyderabad, there are still no visible signs of effective utilisation of these funds, transparent monitoring, or the implementation of a comprehensive master plan.

On the other hand, leaking water lines, an inadequate drainage system, encroachments, illegal parking of heavy vehicles, and insufficient street lighting have intensified the crisis.

The Chairman also highlighted a recent incident in which the jail administration constructed a wall along Nara Jail Road, narrowing a major industrial route and further disrupting heavy-vehicle movement. He said that although the HSATI intervened in time to stop the encroachment, the episode reflects the alarming lack of planning and oversight over the protection of SITE’s infrastructure.

He urged that the road construction work inside SITE Hyderabad must be completed on an emergency basis. He emphasised the need for designated heavy-vehicle routes, an improved drainage system, and strict action against encroachments.

He appealed to the government to prepare a comprehensive master plan for SITE Hyderabad, covering road networks, water and sewerage systems, street lighting, and security arrangements.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025