October 29, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 29, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 28: The Sindh government has put the City District Government Karachi’s (CDGK) plan to shift 15 major wholesale markets, warehouses and the Mauripur truck stand to new locations near the Northern Bypass on the back burner despite the fact that the previous provincial government had allocated the land for the purpose, Dawn has learnt.

The previous provincial government had accepted the city government’s proposal and reserved a total of 2,155 acres of land for the shifting of iron market, electronics market, warehouses, pipe factory, marble factory, sabzi mandi, asphalt plant, timber market, car showrooms, paper market, cloth market, truck stand, cold storage, furniture market, slaughter house, junk-dealers’ market (kabaria) and grain wholesale markets (anaj market) on the periphery of the city.

However, the present political set-up in the province has, reportedly, cancelled the allocation saying that the decision was taken by the previous government.

As most of the commercial activities are concentrated in Saddar, Jamshed town and some parts of Keamari town, the city government had decided in 2006 to regenerate the inner city area by decentralising the activities to lessen congestion in the area concerned because the congestion had reached an intolerable level causing severe inconvenience to residents as well as to people who visit for shopping or for work.

The city government in its approved Karachi Strategic Development Plan (KSDP 2020) suggests that by shifting some of the main markets, truck stand and warehouses to new locations outside the inner city, the prevailing congestion could not only be reduced, but would also allow some measures for redesigning and redevelopment of the area.

The shifting of wholesale markets from the city’s congested areas would not only help the people associated with such businesses in getting more space and facilities, but would also provide relief to people by reducing the load of traffic from the old city areas.

Well-placed sources told Dawn that in March 2006 the city government identified the land requirements and new locations for shifting of wholesale markets and other amenities and approached the Board of Revenue for allotment of the land to the city government.

The then chief minister, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, had formed a scrutiny committee under condition No8(b) of the statement of conditions for grant of state land for non-agriculture purposes. And after lengthy discussions, the scrutiny committee in its meeting held on Dec 1, 2006 agreed in principle to recommend allocation of the land for the projects considering the fact that these projects would help in reducing the congestion of the metropolis and would create new opportunities of employment for the people.

The land sought for shifting of iron market was 75 acres, for electronics market 70 acres, warehouses, 100 acres; pipe factory, 100 acres; marble factory, 250 acres; sabzi mandi, 200 acres; asphalt plant, 50 acres; timber market, 100 acres; car showrooms, 150 acres; paper market, 75 acres; cloth market, 75 acres; truck stand, 500 acres; cold storage, 75 acres; furniture market, 75 acres; slaughter house, 100 acres; junk market, 100 acres; and grain wholesale, market 60 acres.

On Jan 12, 2007, the then adviser to the chief minister on finance directed the authorities’ concerned that the price of the land should be charged from the city government on the similar pattern which was adopted for selling of land to the Defence Housing Authority.

According to sources, the city government had paid an initial amount of Rs150 million to the Sindh government for the allocation of 2,155 acres of land near the Northern Bypass in Gadap and Keamari towns.

However, when the Pakistan People’s Party formed a government in the province the implementation of the plan was put on the back burner.

Sources said that the Sindh governor and the city nazim were trying to convince the People’s Party for the implementation of the shifting plan.

“We are trying to convince the Sindh government that the shifting of wholesale markets and the truck stand is necessary for the future of Karachi,” City Nazim Mustafa Kamal said.

On the other hand, a source in the PPP told Dawn, on the condition of anonymity, that the previous government had given rural land to the city government without consulting the real stakeholders.

“The process was not done in a transparent manner and it needs to be reviewed,” he said.