KARACHI, Feb 16: Despite passage of more than forty days after formation of the city government’s master planning department, no Executive District Officer (EDO) for the department has been appointed, leaving it without any output.

According to approved programme of the department, it will have three District Officers, one each for macro-planning, micro-planning and building control, which is the main component of the department.

The Sindh government had issued notification in December for the formation of this 15th department of the city government, comprising officers and staff from the master plan, town and urban planning departments of the defunct KDA. Later, the KBCA was also included in it.

However, to ensure that no violation in the plan took place, the notification also asked for formation of an agency for the department, with city Nazim as its chairperson.

Certain quarters in the defunct KDA have been resisting the inclusion of the KBCA in the department on the ground that the main purpose of the department was not only to make maps for buildings, roads and housing schemes, but also to study the needs of people according to the changing environment.

Apart from routine city planning, micro-planning at local level and housing schemes, this plan also recommended institutional setup for coordinated development and legal instruments including future provision of infrastructure, health and education facilities etc., on short term and long term basis.

Whereas those in favour argue that since the KBCA was the main source of earnings, without it the department might face acute financial shortfalls in future.

Out of five city plans made in the history of Karachi, only one prepared by A.E. Miram in 1922 has been fully approved and implemented.—PPI