The misery of Karachiites does not end here
KARACHI: Once again the miserable citizens of Karachi have been bestowed with yet another promise that Karachi Urban Transport Corporation, assigned to operate Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), would be handed over to the provincial government, and financial obstruction and other obstacles related to the project would be soon settled.
The KCR, an urban transportation project, is one of the costliest urban projects of the country. It is estimated to cost Rs207 billion. If we compare this project with other projects of Karachi, then one can easily understand the valuation of this project; for example, the Karachi water supply project likely costs Rs150 billion, the Malir expressway is expected to cost Rs39 billion and BRT may cost up to Rs169 billion. These projects on completion would enhance the efficiency in the metropolis by improving its socioeconomic condition.
For now, construction of roads seems to top the list of priorities, as many roads have been damaged due to poor maintenance, poor quality of construction, standing sewerage water and overlapping developmental schemes.
Karachi’s roads are spread over about 11,000 km. Most of these roads are damaged, and for better efficiency it is necessary to upgrade these roads.
The misery of Karachiites does not end here. Waste management is yet another issue confronted by citizens. One can see heaps of garbage in any area of Karachi whether it is posh areas like Clifton or low-income area like the slums of Orangi, all seem to stand in a single line when it comes to waste management.
Karachi’s socioeconomic development has been neglected for the last 30 years despite being the financial hub of the country; gang wars, political rivalries, culture of extortion and terrorism threatened the development of the city for years. The glitter of the city of light seems to have been lost but thanks to the continuous operation of forces that paved the way for smooth economic activity Karachi seems to be hanging in there. It is now time for the federal, provincial and local governments to shun their political differences by joining hands. This would ensure implementation of the proposed projects on a fast track basis because the rise of Pakistan is linked with the rise of its heart, which is Karachi.
Adnan Shah
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2020.
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