Quetta Master Plan needs to be revised

Plan supposed to be revised after every 20 years has not been updated for the past 35 years

QUETTA: The need to revise the master plan of Quetta was felt owing to the sprawling population, mushroom growth of high-rise buildings and doubling of population during the last 20 years, an official said.

He further said that the provincial capital lacked planning for urbanisation and was also dotted with unauthorised constructions.

“The Quetta Development Authority (QDA) should make preparations for the master plan to channelise its present as well as future growth in a scientific and planned manner,” he noted.

The plan which was supposed to be revised after every 20 years has not been revised for the past 35 years.

"Quetta is facing shortage of drinking water due to poor Wasa network. The authority has not planned anything for the future,” he noted.

Vehicular traffic jams have become a routine, while mushroom growth of commercial buildings on narrow roads disturbed smooth flow of traffic in the city.

Due to unavailability of public transport, the number of vehicles has increased manifold as opposed to the capacity of the roads.

“Leaking sewerage lines and foul smell on narrow streets have made the life of a common man difficult whereas the waste management system is also not effective,” he said.

“The municipal corporation has established a processing plant to recycle the plastic produced in Quetta daily but the plant is out of order for a long time,” he observed.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2019.