Transport ‘incentives’

Editorial Published August 19, 2015

‘INCENTIVES’ are hardly the way to solve Karachi’s transport problem: burgeoning, endemic, forgotten, bungled — many negative adjectives are applicable here. One brazen example need be noted: earlier this month, the authorities set out to solve the traffic problem and ended by aggravating the transport crisis. On Aug 4, the police announced a new traffic plan, providing for an up to two-year jail term for a variety of offences, including allowing passengers to ride on the rooftops of buses. More than a fortnight has passed, but traffic violations continue as before. And since the Sindh High Court’s ban on Qingqis has added to the commuters’ misery, the transport problem has gone from bad to worse. Now comes the news that the Karachi traffic police have asked the Sindh government for “incentives” to help ease the people’s travel miseries. The incentives demanded included soft loans for transporters and the status of an industry for transport. There is every expectation that the Sindh government will take years to study those proposals, but even if it does agree, that will hardly make a dent in the problem.

Only a modern mass transit system can solve Karachi’s transport problem — no amount of incentives or efforts to shy away from this reality will help. A mass transit system was first mooted by the PPP government in 1971, but since then no federal or provincial government could marshal the political will to turn it into reality. Over the decades, many schemes have been considered, vetted and approved, but the projects have remained on paper. Years ago, the Japanese fine-tuned the circular railway project, pledging money and technology; all they wanted was for the encroachments to be removed. The Sindh government failed to do this. Such are the dimensions of Karachi’s transport problem that only single-minded devotion to the idea and a firm commitment to long-term benefits can present a durable solution to the problem. The dream of a mass transit system for Karachi must one day come true.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2015

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imtiaz

Aug 19, 2015 07:07am

Well thought out editorial encompassing all aspects of Karachi's transport problem.

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pervaiz iqbal

Aug 19, 2015 08:17am

MQM, for the some 27 years that it been in power, cannot boast of any tangible effort made by it to solve the perennial transport problem of Karachi. Sadly, MQM remembers the people of Karachi only when it is in trouble. Since March this year, it has staged shows to lament the electricity and water shortages in the city. However, once out of the doldrums, all it has for the people of Karachi are promises, promises and promises. How can Karachi expect from other political parties when those returned by it to the assemblies do not pursue the solutions to its problems. Can anybody explain MQM's failure to solve the transport problems of Karachi, the city it terms its stronghold?

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Jalaluddin S. Hussain

Aug 19, 2015 08:46am

The ruling federal and provincial parties of Sindh must take the bold step and implement the mass transit scheme, as is evident from the quote below. The strong and criminal mafia has to be confronted. "Over the decades, many schemes have been considered, vetted and approved, but the projects have remained on paper. Years ago, the Japanese fine-tuned the circular railway project, pledging money and technology; all they wanted was for the encroachments to be removed. The Sindh government failed to do this." The masses, who suffer on a daily basis, will support the governments all the way.

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Burjor Rustomji.

Aug 19, 2015 09:58am

Those who rule think and hope that punishments and laws solve problems. While the government cannot provide for mass transit transport, either good buses or a circular train system, they ban motorcycle rickshaws, ban people from riding on the roof tops of buses, but cannot and will not provide alternatives. The government is by and large quite incompetent, they cannot deliver, this is the story of our nation most unfortunately, the word "incentive" is suppose to be an alternative!!!. Your editorial is very correct, it shows our total apathy, our system is such that it can find faults in schemes, bring laws, punishments but cannot provide alternatives, because laws and punishments only involves paper, there is no commitment to improve in the first place. Lahore and the Punjab in general are better off because they have a "can do" spirit good or bad, at least they deliver. Our administration has not delivered. The poor, old, ladies, and children suffer the most. Thank you Dawn

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Syed Ahmed, Canada

Aug 19, 2015 09:41pm

When London administration, with narrow roads, can manage even flow of traffic why can't people of Pakistan manage the traffic with wide roads. Believe me, give this mission to MQM, they can clean the roads and manage the traffic.

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Troubled

Aug 20, 2015 05:41am

@Syed Ahmed, Canada MQM has ruled Karachi for far too long and delivered only tears. It is a tired horse, and its pointless to bet on it again. I think it is time to try someone new.

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Syed Ahmed, Canada

Aug 20, 2015 07:17pm

@Troubled: The MQM had been sharing power with PPP, the late being a majority party in the Sindh government, had a lion's share in the provincial cabinet including home ministry and local government. Both tried to Outmanoeuvre each other thus failed to administer the province efficiently.

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