KARACHI: In a concrete jungle such as this city where patches of green are becoming scarce, I Am Karachi (IAK) thought of an innovative way of going green by growing the Vertical Gardens of Karachi. One of these vertical gardens, on one of the massive pillars of the KPT Interchange at Qayyumabad, was inaugurated on Tuesday.

The project has been launched in partnership with Martin Dow Group.

The scheme is geared towards beautification of the city’s infrastructure as it will constructively utilise concrete pillars by turning them into eco structures that will aid in making the environment cleaner by reducing urban heat and pollution.

A total of 18 such gardens to be set up in parts of the city

“We are using dumdum which grows well and fast here. One grown creeper hedge around the pillar will produce around 100 to 120 kilograms of oxygen per year which is equal to the needs of a family of four persons,” Ambreen Kazim Thompson, executive director of IAK, told Dawn. “It will also reduce noise pollution by five decibels per pillar and will require just five litres of water a week,” she added.

Some six pillars at the KPT Interchange had a short red brick wall encircling them with soil poured inside for the dumdum saplings to be planted in. They have been sponsored and adopted by the Martin Dow Group and will be conserved and sustained by TPL Corporation Ltd.

According to Ms Thompson, they would be starting some 18 vertical gardens in Karachi. “There are going to be six here in Qayyumabad at the KPT Interchange, another six in district East near Hasan Square and six more in Keamari,” she said.

The first one of these was a pilot project also at the KPT Interchange started a while ago by planting bougainvillea, money plant and dumdum of which dumdum did well. There have been other examples of live or green walls or vertical gardens where people have put up potted plants on the walls, which are stolen sometimes. However, this idea seems more sustainable.

The ribbon cutting ceremony, attended by officials and representatives from IAK and the sponsors, was followed by the planting of the dumdum saplings all around the pillar.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2019