IT took eight months after December 2015 to complete the electoral process of local governments in Sindh. At last, cities and other urban and territorial jurisdictions, including Karachi, have elected mayors and councillors.

The political climate and general socio-political condition of the metropolis are such that even the smallest change tends to ignite some hope. Despite the fact that it is the provincial government that has acquired many of the municipal powers through various laws and administrative arrangements during the past eight years, people have reason to be optimistic.

The mayor is rightly considered the custodian of the city, irrespective of legal or administrative constraints. The current political fracas in Karachi notwithstanding, there is enormous opportunity in this pivotal role for which deep knowledge of municipal administration is vital.

Despite legal and other constraints, there is much the mayor can do to make Karachi liveable again.

The municipal administration is responsible for managing city spaces, infrastructure, systems and assets. Cities in the subcontinent used to be governed by very progressive statutes and capable municipal administrations. Madras (now Chennai) had the honour of being the oldest municipality among Commonwealth nations outside the United Kingdom. The municipality structure was inaugurated in 1688, while municipal functions in Calcutta (now Kolkata) began in 1763. Providing drinking water, undertaking conservancy and construction work, and maintaining roads as well as drains were some of the core functions performed.

The origins of Karachi’s municipality go back to the 19th century. It began as the Karachi Conservancy Board in 1846 to combat a cholera epidemic and then became a municipality in 1852-53. Over time, its functions, responsibilities and outreach increased as the demand for services and improved lifestyles grew.

Conceptually, cities belong to citizens who live, own and operate enterprises and acquire dwellings by way of ownership, tenancy, inheritance or other means. They fulfil their responsibilities by paying property tax and other levies to generate revenue for the management of their city. By applying the fundamental principle of participatory democracy, they elect representatives to decide matters on their behalf and to prioritise development and maintenance work.

Thus common issues such as the provision of adequate and affordable housing; means of public mobility, water and sanitation, power and fuel, recreational venues, places of worship and assembly are provided in line with the needs of the society. That is, when cities need improved healthcare and solid waste management, they do not get motorways or metro buses in response. Similarly, when the majority of people require access to housing, the answer does not lie in increasing the number of law-enforcement personnel. When every citizen who exists in the city counts, decisions cannot be taken to cater to the wealthy few.

For the scientific management of cities and the hinterland, a potent and binding regime of urban and regional planning is key. The present and future protection of public interest, a careful and scientific assessment of current development and management trends, factoring in the concerns of all stakeholders, identification of present and potential revenue options, and the creation of a guided mechanism of decision-making based on correct information and analysis are some of the tasks normally associated with the institution of planning.

From 1921 to 2007, Karachi benefited from various planning inputs that offered many useful solutions to the city’s problems. Many obstacles were successfully overcome due to interventions emanating from these plans. For example, the Karachi Development Plan, 1974-85, streamlined the macro form of the city, provided implementable options for bulk water supply, housing for low-income groups, and for keeping environmental assets secure.

The next plan for the period 1986-2000 warned against the menace of uncontrolled urban sprawl and suggested the infill of existing neighbourhoods and the consolidation of schemes that were already there. Both these plans recommended the creation of a legally and administratively empowered planning agency to continue this exercise without interruption.

The current political scenario demands that the new city leadership take on the management challenge and carry out its responsibilities purposefully and in a dispassionate manner. Instead of locking horns with the provincial and federal governments and other agencies that control a sizable spread of Karachi, the mayor and his affiliates must outline the attainable tasks — and there is a lot that can be done even if there are constraints on the exercise of powers.

For example, the strange Sindh Solid Waste Management Board Act 2014 seems to have made garbage disposal a provincial prerogative — this is especially unfortunate when the poor performance of the provincial administration is no secret.

But by building political bridges, this and many other tasks could be done in a spirit of collaboration rather than competition. City affairs are being influenced by trade associations and stakeholder bodies of various scale and profile. The Association of Builders and Developers, wholesalers, retailers, education service providers, healthcare providers, transporters, tanker operators, market committees, residents’ organisations, cooperative societies and the like constitute potential lobbies whose genuine issues may become part of the agenda of municipal bodies.

By way of appropriate consultations, a people-centric priority list can be formulated to pull back Karachi from the brink of municipal collapse. In addition, the city urgently needs a broad-based review of the ongoing bus rapid transit project and the far-reaching impact of land use, losses to retailing businesses, inconvenience to residents along the route, and uncertainty about integration with other modes of transport.

The mayor can use his representative status to reconcile the process and outcome of this high-cost project for the advantage of remote and dense neighbourhoods. Revival of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and its reorganisation on the basis of efficiency and financial viability is another pending task.

While the challenges seem to be infinite, all can fall in place if the initial steps are rational.

The writer is professor and chairman, department of architecture and planning, NED University Karachi.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2016