Committee formed to work on initiating Karachi Master Plan

The Karachi mayor and commissioner recently co-chaired a meeting to discuss measures that should be adopted to initiate a master plan for the city.

A 12-member Technical Committee chaired by the managing director of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority was formed and its Terms of Reference (ToRs) were also made during the meeting.

The committee comprises Karachi DIG Traffic Javed Ali Mehar along with the director of Military Estate Land and Cantonment Lands, the divisional superintendent of Pakistan Railways, the chief executive officers of all cantonments of Karachi, a senior director of the Traffic Engineering Bureau, KDA, among others.

The committee has been tasked to prepare and ensure the implementation of the plan defining routes for movements of heavy vehicles in the city limits, supplemented with informatory and prohibitory signs specifying the times for restriction on such. It would also review the action taken earlier for the establishment of a truck stand on an area of 500 acres along the Northern Bypass and the course of action of the said facility.

According to the ToRs, the team would also work on making the Zulfiqarabad Oil Tankers Terminal operational as per its action plan of completely shifting oil tankers from Keamari to the new terminal, and it would also ensure all necessary facilitation required from oil marketing companies and the provision of other essential requirements to be provided by the relevant civic agencies.

Moreover, the committee would also advise civic agencies on the preparation of a parking policy by defining no parking zones and charged parking strategy with the objective of regulating parking as well as on the development of off-street parking, removal of encroachments from the carriageway and footpaths.

It would also work on the provision of traffic signs and road markings at all major road networks, upgradation of traffic signals with the provision of exclusive pedestrian on appropriate junctions, restoration of the designated parking facilities within commercial buildings presently being misused, particularly in Saddar, Tariq Road, Clifton, Millennium Mall, and on traffic engineering and management measures along major corridors of the city.

The committee would also review the approvals accorded by various civic agencies to convert land of any specific plot, area of scheme in conflict with the approval land use plan of the city. The TORs also include the introduction of public transport and para-transit mode and establishment of intra-city bus terminals along the three gateways to Karachi.

Moreover, the orders include the formulation of a strategy for the implementation of the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s Transportation Master Plan approved by the KMC Council and any other task as may be assigned by the government. The committee should submit its report directly to the Karachi commissioner to ensure compliance with the orders of the court.

Official sources said that the work over the TORs has been started which includes the installation of traffic signs at major thoroughfares and plans have been made for parking lots within the city.