Baqar announces residential towers for people living in federal housing quarters

Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has announced a project for improving the lifestyle of the people living in old and dilapidated Martin, Clayton and Pakistan quarters in Karachi by providing them with residence in beautifully constructed towers.

“Our purpose is to launch an urban rejuvenation project under which the people living in old quarters would not be displaced by constructing towers on empty spaces on Martin, Clayton and Jahangir quarters’ premises,” he said in a meeting on Wednesday.

He said vacant plots or spaces were being identified for the construction of residential and commercial Towers to improve the overall look of the area. The meeting was attended by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Planning and Development Board Chairman Shakil Mangnejo, Local Govt Secretary Manzoor Shaikh, Karachi Commissioner Saleem Rajput, Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, Karachi Development Authority Director General Tahir Sangi and others.

Mangnejo informed the meeting that Martin, Clayton and Jahangir quarters were established over an area of 240 acres of land in East and Central districts of the city. He said the land was owned by the federal government. To this, the Karachi mayor said the katchi abadies around these quarters were owned by KMC.

“I think the land belongs to KMC on which the federal government had constructed these quarters,” Wahab said. It was pointed out that after the shifting of the capital in 1958, no proper maintenance of the quarters had been carried out by the federal government. The federal government employees who were allotted these quarters did not vacate them on their retirement and the next generations encroached on open spaces around those quarters.

Mangnejo said their initial survey showed that Martin Quarters on Jail Road were spread on 81 acres of land, Clayton Quarters on Jahangir Road on 68 acres, and Pakistan Quarters on Nishtar Road on 32.13 acres.

The CM said he wanted a project for the residents of these quarters under which the old and unsafe quarters would be replaced with modern towers in addition to improving public spaces and infrastructure.

To this, the planning and development board chairman said Fikirtepe was a densely populated but rundown residential area in Istanbul. The project was launched in 2012 and expected to be completed in 2023.

Mangnejo suggested studying the model of the Turkish housing scheme for the purpose. The CM directed the planning and development department to study the aspects of urban planning strategies such as inclusive planning, infrastructure upgrades, affordability, mixed-use development, green building practices, cultural preservation, public transport accessibility, safety measures and waste management.

Baqar told the meeting that he would talk to the federal government to solve the land ownership issues. Meanwhile, he directed the planning and development department, and KMC to develop a plan for the project. “We can launch the project on PPP [public-private partnership] mode but other options may also be considered,” he said.