Karachi’s Urban Planning: An Abysmal State
By: Hajra Shahab
Tags: Cities, Urban Planning, Mobility, Karachi, Transportation

Recommendations

Short Term: Improve city planning and placemaking processes (within 2 years)

Conduct user studies across vulnerable groups such as women, children to understand how cities can be made more inclusive and accessible. Different groups interact with the built environment differently (World Bank, 2020). Research suggests that women often opt for more complex trips which are not accounted for in “transit planning in terms of routes, timetables, and payment options” (World Bank, 2020). Such user studies would also account for social taboos and help the city government address issues such as harassment on public transit systems.

Forecast urban sprawl for the next 5–10 years using statistical models to draft data-driven urban planning and policy frameworks (Pramanik & Stathakis, 2015). Similar studies can be used to predict population growth (Figure 2) and allocate resources accordingly. The city government should learn best practices from other cities with similar urban challenges. Collecting data is a taxing process; therefore, the city government should make effective use of existing databases for this analysis.

Figure 2: Population density by Union Council in 2030 (Credit: JICA, Source: JICA report)

Intermediate Term: Taxation and land reforms (within 3–5 years)

Develop a sustainable public financial management plan for Karachi through tax reforms and public-private partnerships for urban development. Stakeholders in the private sector mistrust government which can only be reduced if the public sector promises to ensure transparency and accountability. While public-private partnerships can reap results in the short-term, the government has to move towards lasting financial models such as transport or road tax to bridge the financial gap in urban development projects (The Urban Resource Centre et al., 2015).

Reclaim government land from illegal occupants for urban development and encourage an even spread of population across the city. The reclaimed land should be used to develop low-income housing to reduce population stress in anyone specific area of the city. Since these areas have long been occupied by groups, it is important to undertake legislative reforms to discourage such practices.

Long Term: robust public transit system (within 5–7 years)

Expedite the development of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project under Karachi Transportation Improvement Plan (KTIP) in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) (Figure 3). This project has been delayed multiple times, owing to “lack of political will and institutional ownership” (The Urban Resource Centre et al., 2015). The development of BRT should be taken over by the federal government as the current political structure of Karachi does not favor its construction. Immediate action would require the federal government to release a subsidy package under the Annual Development Plan (ADP) to finance current budget deficit in the project.

Another issue with the KTIP is that it does not provide coverage for a significant part of the city. The system is likely to collapse unless it is connected to other parts of the city with small scale mobility projects providing first-and-last mile transit solutions. The recent success of BRT system in city of Peshawar, Pakistan provides an exemplary model for Karachi to learn from (Peshawar Traffic Police).

Figure 3: Mass Transit Program 2030 (Credit: The Urban Resource Centre)

Karachi is a resilient city that has not only sustained itself over the years but also served as the backbone for Pakistan’s economy. The haphazard urban expansion of Karachi has posed serious challenges to city operations affecting its economic efficiency. The proposed recommendations can help relevant stakeholders direct time and resources to urban development initiatives that will ultimately translate to long-term cost effectiveness and sustainable growth.