KARACHI: The Sindh government has chalked out short- and long-term plans to transform Karachi into a beautiful city by developing its roads, parks and evolving proper city management by launching the World Bank-funded Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement Project (KNIP) to give the metropolis a new face of peace and prosperity.

The Rs10 billion project consists of three components, which would be covered in the next 10 years.

Component-I includes Saddar downtown, Pakistan Chowk and adjoining areas; Malir public spaces enhancement and Korangi neighbourhood where different roads would be made one-way for traffic so that footpaths and open green sitting places could be made available for students, visitors and people living in the vicinity.

The plan aims at enhancing public spaces, road infrastructure, inclusion and access to market

This was stated by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while presiding over a meeting on the World Bank-assisted programme here at CM House on Friday.

He directed the Karachi commissioner to start removing encroachments from the entire project area — phase-I Saddar downtown — so that work could be started within a month.

“This is the most important project in terms of restoration of old city area, therefore, it must be supported not only by the agencies concerned and government departments but I would request each and every Karachiite to support and own it,” he said.

The CM said that the World Bank, on the request of the Sindh government, carried out the Karachi City Diagnostic (KCD) to support provincial government for implementation of the Karachi Transform Strategy (KTS) through short- and long-term engagements.

He added that the KCD estimated that at least Rs10bn would be required in the next 10 years to close the city’s infrastructure gaps.

He said the short- and long-term plans to transform Karachi into a beautiful city included development of roads, restoring old buildings, developing parks and evolving a proper traffic management system.

Planning and Development chairman Mohammad Waseem said that in short term the World Bank had agreed to support the KNIP focusing on fast, low-cost and high-impact interventions to respond to the emergent city needs and establish a building block for long-term partnership with the Sindh government to transform the city. “At present, the KNIP stands approved from the ECNEC and a loan agreement has already been signed by the WB and the government,” he said.

KNIP Project Director Khair Mohammad Kalwar in his presentation said that the project cost was $98 million while the Sindh government’s share was $12m. “It is aimed at enhancing public space in targeted neighbourhoods, improvement of urban roads’ infrastructure to enhance mobility, inclusion and access to market and improvement of the city’s capacity to provide selected administrative services.”

Talking about component-I of the selected interventions — Public Space and Mobility Improvements, the PD said it includes Saddar downtown area revitalisation; Malir area road public spaces enhancement and Korangi neighbourhood mobility improvements.

He said old buildings declared as heritage sites would be restored. The roads would also be reconstructed with new water and sewerage lines and ducts for other cables while area from the DJ College up to the Arts Council would also be developed on the same pattern with one-way traffic route, construction/arrangement of parking lots, development of parks, open spaces for visitors with benches, Victorian streetlights, open-space coffee shops, bookstores, etc, he added.

The meeting decided that parking along the roads would strictly be prohibited. The entire area would be covered through CCTV cameras.

The chief minister directed the Karachi police chief to work together with the KNIP project director for making one-way traffic plans.

Component-II and III include design and implementation of a Provincial Electronic One-Stop Shop (PEOSS) for business licences and e-licensing by other provincial agencies to be hosted by the Sindh Board of Investment, and automation of construction permits by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).

An integrated financial management system for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, support KMC in improving its municipal utility tax revenues by financing a survey in the South and Central districts to assess the potential tax base, design and development of web-based platform for the KMC and parking management study are also part of the plan.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Jam Khan Shoro, Syed Nasir Shah, Syed Sardar Shah, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, principal secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, finance secretary Hassan Naqvi, transport secretary Saeed Awan, local government Secretary Ramzan Awan and others.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2017