Pakistan: Governance failure leaves Hyderabad roads in ruins as officials look away

Sindh [Pakistan], January 4 (ANI): Persistent administrative apathy has plunged large parts of Hyderabad into an infrastructure crisis, with crumbling roads, shoddy repairs and abandoned development projects severely disrupting daily life, residents complain.
According to affected citizens, repeated warnings have gone unheeded, allowing vital road networks to worsen year after year, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, in several localities, roads constructed with paver blocks have collapsed after a short period, allegedly due to the use of inferior materials. Numerous streets have remained unattended for years, forcing motorists to navigate broken surfaces that generate dust, damage vehicles and increase accident risks.
Commuters say these conditions have become a routine ordeal rather than an exception. Among the worst-hit routes is the road linking Rabiul Awwal Chowk in Latifabad Unit No. 10 with the BC Section police station and extending to Hazrat Bilal Chowk. Residents say that instead of proper resurfacing, authorities merely spread gravel and stones, leaving behind a hazardous stretch filled with sharp debris.
Construction between Khuda Hafiz Board Chari and Kohsar Phase 2 was reportedly abandoned midway after contractors allegedly used substandard material, leaving the area unsafe for commuters.
Densely populated neighbourhoods have also seen extensive deterioration. Residents further allege that utility agencies frequently dig up newly repaired roads and fail to restore them, compounding the damage. A major project on Autobhan Road, from Gaddo Chowk to Fateh Chowk, remains stalled despite partial inauguration by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Prolonged delays have caused traffic congestion, financial losses and growing frustration, particularly as inflation squeezes household budgets, as cited by The Express Tribune.
Citizens have also criticised plans to impose traffic fines, arguing that enforcement is unjustified when roads are barely usable.
Despite repeated assurances from ruling and allied parties, municipal authorities and local representatives throughout 2025, residents say meaningful repairs remain elusive, leaving Hyderabad trapped in a cycle of neglect, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)