In a high level meeting chaired by the President on November 19, the Planning Commission was directed to expedite the speedy completion of the plan for Karachi Mass Transit Programme (KMTP).

It was agreed that the KMTP and other large scale transportation projects -- currently under implementation phases --shall improve the overall functioning of the transport systems in the city.

It is interesting to note that during the previous five years, several packages for the development of Karachi have been announced by the different tiers of the government. Transportation projects remained the most dominant category amongst all the announcements.

Few programmes and projects have already begun. The Lyari Expressway and the Karachi Northern Bypass are the foremost amongst them. However many crucial mega projects have yet to enter the implementation phase. The Karachi Circular Railways (KCR) and the Karachi Mass Transit Programme are two specific projects.

There have been several attempts made for their revival by different government departments and agencies but to little or no avail. It may be useful to note that these projects were conceptualised, planned and designed for execution about a decade ago.

The features pertinent to planning and design were derived according to the need and requirements of a different scale and magnitude. While claims are made that the project designs have been periodically revised, the gravity of the situation demands a fresh need assessment and analysis due to drastic changes in the physical, social and economic realities.

Given the fact that the city is moving ahead without a legally valid and technically appropriate master plan, the importance of a fresh stocktaking of the context becomes all the more relevant.

The government policies and market dictates have given rise to an exponential increase in car ownership in the city. According to conservative estimates, the car ownership is rising at a rate of 13 per cent per annum.

There are over a million automobiles that operate on the city streets. Many vehicular arteries, neighbourhoods and locations - which had a low traffic volume - now display over crowding, traffic jams and bottlenecks.

Interface of existing traffic pattern with forthcoming projects is very vital and must be undertaken to examine the future operational merit and sustenance of the mass transit projects. For instance, traffic crossings where more than one mode is anticipated to pass may become trouble spots.

Similarly the entrance points to the KMTP shall require a complete re-assessment in the wake of mounting load. When the existing framework of the KMTP is reviewed in this backdrop, several grave technical concerns evolve that need to be properly dealt.

The existing KMTP plan comprises of six corridors. The Corridor-I stretches from Mere weather Tower to Sohrab Goth via M.A. Jinnah Road, S.M. Taufiq Road and Shahrah-e-Pakistan. Second corridor is planned to run from Orangi Town to Cantonment Station.

The design is a composite combination of elevated transit ways, 'at - grade' right of ways, stop points / stations, parking lots for interconnecting modes of transport and ancillary spaces / facilities.

Common observations show that massive adjustments have become unavoidable due to several ad hoc developments. For example, the fly over on Liaquatabad - Karimabad section was initially planned along the right of way of KMTP.

After the flyover construction, it will be impossible to make the KMTP pass through the same section of the corridor. Besides the traffic volumes along Corridors I & II have since risen exponentially. Connections of para-transit modes, links of other formats of public transit and issues pertinent to securing the right of way are primary matters that need a fresh consideration.

Public transportation projects can only prove to be successful if they operate to the satisfaction of their designated target groups. In the case of KMTP, this has been a contentious issue ever since the inception of the project. In 1996-97, there was a tough resistance offered by many categories of stake holders that were anticipated to be affected by the project.

Shopkeepers, retailers, transporters, vendors and para transit operators along Corridor - I came together with civil society organizations and constituted a body namely Citizens Forum on Mass Transit.

The forum critically evaluated the KMTP and raised pertinent objections to its plan and design. Environmental damage to the surroundings; land use changes; evictions and demolitions; acquisition of land for right of way and station; damage to architectural and cultural heritage of the city and prohibitively high fare level were some of the concerns raised by the forum. No modification or remedial measure has yet been undertaken.

A crucial matter that was repeatedly cited in the planning and designing of the KMTP was its link-up to the KCR. Transportation experts have repeatedly pointed out that the KMTP and the KCR must be inter-related to optimise their performance. At one stage, it was suggested to develop/revitalize the KCR as the top priority corridor with extensions into new neighbourhoods.

Given the drastic changes in the land use and densities during the past ten years, it is vital to undertake a fresh land use analysis in order to streamline the proposals. Incomplete information and inadequate analysis may create grave problems for the running of the systems. It may also cause inconvenience and hardship to the concerned user groups.

Experiences have shown that undertakings of this magnitude require harmony and cooperative spirit amongst participating stakeholders. In this case, many participants have divergent views on the matter.

Railways, the government of Sindh, city district government, town administrations, other local agencies and user groups do not agree on several conceptual as well as procedural aspects of the KMTP/KCR projects. Besides petty political manoeuvrings and vested interest have their own reasons to affect the progress of the project.

These interest groups have impeded the implementation of the projects for the past many years. Unless these snags are removed, no successful implementation can probably happen.

It is high time that our top level decision makers come down from their high echelons to take cognizance of ground realities. The impressive but dubious presentations given to them only provide assumptions of a sketchy nature. Development projects and their implementation are a complex affair with many clandestine interests, capable of affecting the process.

It shall be in the interest of the city that due consideration is given to the views of all concerned sections of the society before embarking upon a high sounding programme / project.