Railways, as solution of Karachi commutation woes

Trains are an effective and trouble-free public commutation system in all the major and mega cities of the world. Specially in the combined regions of South Asia and Fareast including China, where statistically half of the earth population reside, railway transit is essential for urban transport infrastructure. Either it is Beijing and Tokyo or Bangkok and Mumbai, local trains are a popular and effective means of life in a metro.

But what about Karachi which lacks any local train system? Is it no longer the most developed city of Pakistan, or lost the status of a megacity ? Even in this month of October, Lahore took unprecedented initiative and launched the Orange Train for citizens there, while Karachi is still bashing on revival of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) that was suspended in 1999.

Once tram service and railways were used to be the best source of transportation in the metropolis. When Karachi was the capital of Pakistan, a tram network was a popular feature of commutation on the skirts of Sadder and M.A Jinnah Road. Though, majority of residents used buses and wagons for transportation within and surrounding of the old city areas. With the expansion of population, neigbourhoods like SITE area, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Liaqutabad, Federal B. Area, Gulshan e Iqbal came into existence and the then President Ayub Khan made a route of circular railway to facilitate the residents of these newly-emerged localities to travel daily to old city areas for their profession. Till the 1980s, the KCR was the best source of commutation among Karachities but thereafter, begun losing attraction gradually and was also insufficient for new developments like New Karachi, Gulistan e Jauhar and D.H.A., so ultimately closed in 1999.

As the Circular Railway stopped to function, land mafia occupied the land along the tracks and  still is a strong hurdle in the way of KCR revival. While commutation in Karachi has been getting hectic more and more with each passing day, making the private transporters another ruthless mafia of the city. Local governments always cites their legal disability on the subject of railways while federal and provincial governments hardly prioritise it in their programs.  

In 2008, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) submitted a feasibility report for the revival of Karachi Circular Railway, following it the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved Rs. 247 billion for the project in 2012 and in the 6th Coordination Committee meeting on December 29, 2016  the KCR has been made a part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The project, having 162 locomotives each with the capacity of 250 passengers, includes construction of 24 stations at 43.12 Km route, elimination of 22 level crossings, construction of 23.86 Km elevated tracks and 3.70 Km tunnel. It would function with 290 trains -- at an average speed of 45-50 Km/hour -- to ply on the route with frequency of 6 minutes and turnaround period of 43.12 Km is 66 minutes. It would likely to serve commuting needs of some 515,000 passengers each  day after its completion in 2020 and projected number of travellers would expected to increase 750,000 by the year 2030 and 915,000 in 2040.

Despite the fact that the revival of the KCR these days is confronted with a stalemate between Sindh Government and Pakistan Railways on the issues of lands and encroachments, the question is how much this Circular Railway system with existing network can be effective for citizens now, if revived on old patterns.

The 43-Km long railway line would reportedly go through Landhi, Wazir Mansion, Gulshan e Iqbal, COD, Gulistan e Jouhar, Orangi Town and Chanesar Goth with having 24 stations. But residents of New Karachi, Scheme 33, Surjani, Gulshan e Maymar, Clifton, D.H.A, Sadder, Korangi and many other areas cannot be benefitted from rail commutation with the already-existing circular railway network.

Even in areas where the railway stations are available, the vicinity is too big and dense that the KCR cannot serve even one single locality as a whole. For example, neither people reside in Buffer Zone and Godhra would benefit from the North Nazimabad station, nor people of Gulburg and Ancholi would have direct access to the Liaqutabad railway station. Similarly one wonders whether people of Gulistan e Jouhar would be able to avail the KCR service, where railway station is located outside the locality' limitation. To serve all these people parallel locomotive lanes or installation of more railway tracks are required.  

The Sindh Government recently announce that it is going to launch the first operational phase of the KCR on December 25, 2017 on a route between Wazir Mansion to Kharadar to Manghopir. In reality it is going to hand out no purpose and would serve only a filler in provincial government' shallow and shabby credentials. However, that doesn't mean to undermine the importance of KCR.

Railway transportation is must in Karachi today which can lessen the burden of vehicular traffic on roads and carbon density in environment. But important is the railway network should be meaningful and serve to a sizable amount of inhabitants. The  KCR may not obsolete but is not enough to cover all the metropolis. The city of 25 million dwellers further needs cross-rail lanes and proper railway networking including stations at all major areas to develop city on modern footings  with effective and trouble-free public transport system.

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Infocus Editorial. 

K-Electric; The Dracula in Metropolis

The October this year hasn't  been kind so far for Karachites who are still facing an untimed hot weather with temperature rising 40 degree centigrade. Worse and more unbearable was the power interruptions and unannounced load-shedding on behalf of K Electric in this souring heat. Many areas of the city has experienced above 8 hours without electricity. However, even worse is the news of the day that NEPRA has allowed the K-Electric to raise the consumer tariff further 0.70 paisa per unit.

As reported, the management of the K Electric sought a hike in tariff to 15.57 per unit for consumers of Karachi. But the NEPRA raised it to Rs. 12.77 from Rs. 12.07 which was set couple of months ago in March 2017. Apparently it is for to facilitate the sale of majority stakes from Abraaj Capital to Shanghai Electric of China. The period for the Multi-Year Tariff shall be seven years applicable from July 1, 2016 till June 30, 2023.

A city of over 23 million, electricity situation in Karachi is deplorable, brutal and unjust. The K-Electric formerly the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation before it was privitised in 2005 to the Abraaj Capital is a sole power utility of the city was, supplying 2500 MW electricity in Karachi, which is sufficient enough according to statistics, but power crisis persists in the city for many reasons.  Due to massive and uncalled loadshedding residents protest on the road, burn tyres and blocking traffic in the metropolis. Irregular power outages have also caused shortage of water and officials of the KWSB complain that owing to power outages in the pumping stations many areas of the metropolis do not receive water.

Apart from loadshedding crisis, the K Electric is overtly looting the citizens through time to time increased tariff, hidden over billing and unfavourable fuel adjustment charges. It's tariff is not less than any Draconian regulation which is just cruelly sucking after sucking the blood of its consumers until, they die. People of Karachi have hardly got any solace or public benefits since it's privitisation.  

Whenever, NEPRA reduces power prices (due to fuel adjustments) it did this year in March by Rs. 3.23 per unit and in August 2017 by Rs. 1.7 per unit for the consumers all over the country, yet the relief didn't applicable to the consumers of K-Electric, because it is a private entity now which prefers profits over general public wellbeing.

Though, the K Electric officially says it is supplying 2500 MW but in practice it isn't. In truth it can supply 2500 MW or can generate and transmit enough power required in the metropolis but again as it is a private entity, therefore many claims it is producing less electricity to save fuel in order to mint maximum profits.

It's recovery process is weirdly unbelievable. Instead of working on to cut down the power pilferages and grip the electricity thieves the K Electric has adopted a crude and unjustified formula which punish all the consumers even handedly in the city. The KE officials publicly maintain that in areas where consumers pay their electricity bills , there is hardly any loadshedding. But in neighbourhoods where recovery is low, people face loadshedding over eight hours -- just to adjust recovery losses or maintain the profit margin..

I do not believe it will be heard in our corrupt governmental corridors but the truth is it is time to renationalise the K-Electric for the sake of public.

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Are Karachi Beaches Safe Enough for Recreation ?

Day before yesterday, 12 peoples drowned at Hawks Bay, Karachi when reportedly they were swept away by a strong wave while they were inside water. Yester month according to Edhi resources 33 people were drowned at beaches in Karachi whose bodies were recovered. That tells a sorry state of beach recreations in the city and needs necessary attention given to safety measures first before considering beaches any ideal venues for entertainment.

Although, the Sindh Government imposed ban in May 2017 through Section 144 for wading/ swimming / diving in the sea, however police and other relevant authorities rightly complain that the  sizable number of peoples that head to beaches during public holidays making it impossible for them to control the situation with their limited resources. Not long away, during 3-day Eid vacations in 2014 some 42 people were drowned to death in various beach spots of city including Sea View, Paradise Point and Hubco Beach strips. It figures out one hand that largely it is in holidays or weekends when people rush to go inside the sea and also the growing death tolls with each passing day on the other. That compels to analyze what are the reasons of these rising trend in water tragedies and in present scenario is it safe to choose beaches as picnic spots.

Topography  

First of all the beaches of Karachi are not safe for water recreation. They are not like Thailand and Maldives beaches where shoreline are steady and firm and where one can go deeper and deeper in the sea without sinking. There are traps in Karachi sea that lead to drowning incidents. Paradise Point and Cape Point have shallow water and susceptible to sinking incidents.

Oil Slicking

Dredging activities are common specially near Clifton Bach, Do Darya, Seaview, Manora where the hubs national shipping sector are not far away i.e. the Karachi Port and Port Bin Qasim. So Oil Spill at the sea is common in the sea coast alongside Karachi. Similarly tons of trash is already in the water that can harm human body causing skin and related diseases. Last week when oil slick was spotted in Clifton, the WWF- Pakistan instructed citizens to "avoid going there until water become completely free from slick".

Public Disregards

Beaches are the most accessible recreation spots in Karachi, where leisure venues are insufficient for more than 25 million population. It is however important to mention a majority of beach goers are belonged to middle class and largely from outstation of city skirts, therefore they are apparently unconcerned about the ongoing alerts in the city. A widely established reason of Beach tragedies is therefore the disregard shown by public towards warning signs set up by relevant authorities while the poorly equipped rescue service fail to respond to SOS.

Basic Amenities

There  is complete absence of garbage disposal facilities and trash can be seen strewn all over the beach often being swept away by the sea. With the exception of the Sea view, D.H.A not a single dust bins placed anywhere by authorities for trash collection. Beaches around the world offer basic facilities such as washrooms, changing facilities, public toilets, shaded benches or cabins. But in Karachi, these amenities don't exist at all.

Safety Measures

Some most important things prevailed around global beaches are missing in Karachi. The authorities must adopt a provocative approach rather than reactive on. All beaches should have first-aid stalls or cabins for emergency cases. Similarly a vigilant force of body guards stationed at their watch towers are essentials. But the city authorities are unconcerned about it.

People also must realise that the Section 144 doesn't restrict you to enjoy walking in the wet sand, witness the sunset, feel the breeze and get some sort of escapism from your routine life. What is dangerous is when they recklessly go into deep water and risk their lives.

Amongst more than a dozen beach spots in the city no beach is safe and each beach has its own dynamics and need to be dealt with separately as an individual case. So a lot more yet to be done to improve this simple leisure making it safer, cleaner and more enjoyable.

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The Culprits of Karachi Rain Flood

"No individual rain drop ever considers itself responsible for the flood." John Ruskin

Last days were not less than any horrible nightmare in Karachi. Despite the Mat office forecast and disaster-avert arrangements there was havoc in Karachi when the megacity received 130 millimeter rainfall that resulted into infrastructural detriment in billions of Rupees and loss of 23 human lives.

Just have a look who are the main culprits of that disaster

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation

The KMC had performed cleaning drive of city' storm water drains in June-July on emergency basis and Minster of Local Bodies claimed that the Sindh Govt provided Rs. 50 Crore for that but the exercise  remained futile as the municipal authorities taking out the debris and trash from Nullahs or drains the staff of KMC left the debris along the bank and never transported it away from drains. The result after some days the debris mixed again in the drains. The Nehr Khayyam and Gujar Nallahas are proof in this regard. That's why when Layari Naddi filled (where already construction work is underway by the FWO), the Gujjar Nallah overfilled and drowned almost all the areas of F B Area and North Nazimabad, besides unfortunate death of two persons by drowning.

Sindh Solid Waste Management Board

From the very first day of its formation the much-criticised Board has poorly failed to collect garbage from various localities. Reportedly the Board assigned some dubious foreign firms to collect garbage from two District South and Malir, but residents of the area are witnessed the collection was improper. All the efforts of the Board was so far limited to imports of thousands of dustbins, vehicles and distribution of dustbins in districts.

K Electric

The biggest culprit of the entire saga. Out of total 23 deaths on September 31, 17 happened due to electrocution across the city. The KE itself admits in official handout that 201 incidents of 201 broken cables were reported and 133 feeders tripped in various areas. It also claims that they received more than 20,000 complains in that day, which is strange because many people shared on social media that the landline of KE was not responding.

Ministry of Local Government, Sindh

The two main arteries of the city Shahra e Faisal and University was widened and revamped with a spending spree of billions of rupees under Karachi Development Package just a month ago, yet the traffic jam has remained  a nuisance. But that rainy day the commutation was almost impossible on these main roads and reportedly motorists spent 4 to 6 hours being stuck on University Road and Shahra e Faisal. While the next important commutation artery the road from Nazimbad- to New Karachi was unable for any kind of transport being completely drowned under water, because of incomplete constructional excavation of Green Line Bus Transport Project.

Karachi Building & Control Authority

Two persons were died because of collapse of roof and walls of decrepit building collapsed when thunder storm knocked Karachi.  The Authority cannot be skipped from the responsibility of these deaths because its staff kept their eyes deliberately when such kind of irregular building structures were being constructed. And, this practice and these structures are rampant in the city.  

National Disaster Management Authority

The Authority has grand responsibility to act for restoration, relief and rehabilitation in crisis ridden situation. But sadly the only work it performed was a single SMS alert in which it just advised citizens to do "precautionary measures for next few days" by themselves. What measures and how; might be the Authority don't know itself.

Now readers decide which institution is most responsible for tragedy or who is the biggest culprit.

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Infocus, Editorial            

Karachi needs Fumigation Drives immediately

An alarming situation which is imminent in Karachi is the forays of mosquito-borne diseases when monsoon would formally over in coming days. That demands immediate fumigation drive across the city where already a series of such diseases from chikungunya to dengue and malaria are stalking in hospitals. And, according to a news report in Daily DAWN dated August 22, 2017, 14000 cases of malaria have already been reported this year so far in Sindh including Karachi compared to 30,000 total of last year. The current status of city' wastes and garbage is an open secret.

The rise of numbers of patients suffering from viral diseases despite earlier attempts of fumigation this year is hard to digest. So far things that have been reported are; a city-wide fumigation drive was earlier kicked off by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation on the orders of the city Mayor Waseem Akhtar that ran from July 4 to 17, 2017, in which 50 municipal vehicles had to spray insecticides district-wise in all the union councils. However, citizens are witnessed they really saw any vehicle in operation in their areas fumigating sprays.

Earlier in the month of February this year, the Sindh Minister of Local Government Jam Khan Shoro directed the local government officials to begin campaign for "fumigation in the capital city including the adjoining Katachi Abadis, that had to cover all the localities of the city with focus of spray on garbage, dumps, nullahs, manholes, open plots and water ponds." However, in practice that campaign was directed at the Malir District where thousands of cases of chikungunya had been reported one and half month ago that even invited WHO intervention to control the disease.

Although, there is also a Dengue Prevention and Control Program active in city but general fumigation is not their responsibility. The Program is mainly limited to awareness campaigns and diagnosis while prevention and treatment is yet to be controlled. However, it is universally stressed that timely eradication of mosquitoes breeding grounds is the finest way which can limit and control the viral mosquitoes-borne diseases and fumigation across the metro is the answer to eradicate these grounds. So it is time for KMC and relative Cantonments to take action before situation would get worse.  

Also, if no efforts are made to spray fumigation timely, then -- apart from dengue, malaria and chikungunya --  the threat of the emergence of the Zika virus and yellow fever would also hover on city. God forbids. 

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Road Rallies or Tree Plantation . Which is Sensible Way for Festivities in Karachi ?

"AB Khan" (not actual name), a driver of Edhi Ambulance service  expressing  his difficulties in driving on 14th August tells " I had a patient in noon in my vehicle for Liaqut National Hospital from Gulistan e Jauhar and heavy traffic jam was ahead but somehow I managed to drop him there in almost an hour drive. But I am worried many other ambulances drivers wouldn't manage to do so in time because of this traffic jamming today ".

The 14th of August is definitely a day to celebrate but these celebrations shouldn't disturb the city and citizens. Today a series of miscellaneous motor rallies to celebrate national Independence Day jumped into the Karachi roads that caused serious hustle and stopped traffic movements in Karachi East, Central, South and D.H.A. Ahsan Ajaz Magoon also shares some of his photos and a video clip on a Whats'up Group in which he complained that a "serious traffic-stuck was observed at Khyaban e Ittehad, DHA at 12 o clock that took more than an hour to go through the Khyaban".

Definitely, other people would also have same experiences despite being part of these rallies. However, it was observed that most of these rallies were badly disorganised, scattered everywhere and troublesome for general public commutation. There was no specific route mentioned for them and they move on all the main commuting arteries of Karachi like University Road, Shahra e Faisal, Shahra e Pakistan, Abdullah Haroon Road, Clifton Road, Korangi-DHA Road and Khyaban e Ittehad. Traffic Police did all what they could to stream traffic movement but mostly unable to unlock the traffic gridlock wherever and whenever occurred due to uncontrolled numbers of diverse and numerous Independence rallies.        

Now the question is are these motor rallies and "Azadi Carvans" are sensible way to celebrate events and festivals in already a dense city like Karachi? More importantly does the civic administration are able to control these rallies after giving permission them? It is assumed many political, politico-social, politico-ethnic and socio-religious rallies do not seek these official permission, otherwise public commutation in city wouldn't be in dismal state on 14th of August.   

The other options to celebrate festivals, success and events are much wiser. Why not the hierarchy of these "Azadi Carvans" opt for Cleaning Drive or Plantation Drive in the city for celebrations. That will benefit the city and inhabitants more rather discomforting them. I personally know many Tree Plantation Drives were held only in District East Karachi on 14th August 2017. One was held in Safari Park jointly organised by an NGO Kumak and Mera Karachi, where around hundred trees of Almond, Gua and others were planted.

                        

Another Tree Plantation Drive was organised by Council of Participatory Development near NIPA, in which trees of Neem and Morianga were planted by school children.

These are suitable, sensible and civilized options to celebrate things in Karachi, rather holding motor rallies to flex your muscles for a noble cause. That would harm the city more in terms of traffic gridlock, commutation  hurdles and other transportation crisis for general public including patients, passengers and     senior citizens. Hope civic administration would take think now seriously about it.     

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Divisive local government history of Karachi

It is difficult to sum up any metropolitan' historical overview in few lines, but on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day of Pakistan it is important to analyze and debate on the dismal reasons of past that never allowed the society and state altogether to attain stability and prosperity.

Despite the fact that Karachi provides 70 percent revenue to the national exchequer and shelters more than 10% population from all over the country irrespective of cast and creed, it's share is meager on national benefits and policy-makings. In fact lots of socio-economic gains could have been attained from the magnitude and potential of the city by investing sincerity, dynamism and devolution of authorities, yet the fact is both provincial and federal governments kept the powers centralised, therefore as a result people here have always been deprived from their rights, civil institutions remained at halt from functioning and the local resources always exploited by the politico-feudal class of Pakistan.

After 70 year, Karachi is unable to shape up any real local government. There are reasons; at one hand the local government elections were hardly and irregularly held, while on the other hand the various local government systems that have been promulgated via ordinances, constitutional bills and amendments were politically motivated which have always kept the city more in a state of depriving rather to develop it. 

On 14th August 1947, Karachi inherited the Karachi City Municipal Act 1933 introduced by the British Raj. Through this Act the Municipality of Karachi had been given the status of Karachi Municipal Corporation with a Mayor, Deputy Mayor and 57 Councilors. Besides, the city had been made the capital of Sindh province in British India and later on after Independence was chosen as the capital of Pakistan. The history of local government elections inside Pakistan  begins from the regime of Gen Ayub Khan when (after abolition of 1956 Constitution) he held non-party local government "Basic Democracy" elections via an Ordinance in 1959. With 80,000 elected Basic Democrats he introduced a 5-tier system, however it was aimed more towards strengthening his Presidential form of government and concentration of civil authorities, rather empowering the grass-root class. As Municipal Corporation of  Karachi was demoted to divisional level and administratively subordinate to the West Pakistan Department of Basic Democracies and Local Government. Besides, the status of Karachi as the national capital was taken away under his regime and Islamabad was made the new capital of Pakistan.

After the Separation of East Pakistan, new legislations were being devised for the Constitution of 1973, when the then Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto  introduced the Sindh People's Ordinance of 1972 in which Karachi Municipal Corporation was officially restored and through an amendment in 1976 it was upgraded as the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). The administrative area of Karachi was also established as Karachi Division, which was subdivided into five districts; Karachi Central, Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi South and Malir. But he didn't hold local bodies elections during his 8-year reign and the Corporation was run by civil bureaucrats. Also, the city witnessed serious ethnic marginalisation in his tenure because of introduction of quota system and language controversy.

General Zia ul Haq, after coming into power reviewed the system of local government in his martial law regime and vowed to establish this system on strong footings by launching the Sindh local Government Ordinance 1979 that lessened a bit the role of Mayor in civil functions compared to 1972 Sindh Peoples' Ordinance. Also, the local bodies elections he held were non-party basis which saw Abdul Sattar Afghani as Mayor twice in 1979 and 1983, and Farooq Sattar in 1988. These elections helped the city to, at least, evolve some shape and form of  local governance on modern footings.

However, after the end of Farooq Sattar' tenure as Mayor in 1992 the successive federal governments of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif didn't hold local bodies elections and Karachi was kept being run under the Administrators system, largely civil bureaucrats.  

 

General Pervaiz Musharraf after taking the reins of the country through martial law in 1999, tried to establish his authority by focusing on grass root governance and prioritising urban political management. Therefore he passed the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2001, which aimed at a new devolution of financial resources and responsibilities back to Karachi city from spatial planning and development facilitations to municipal services. It also merged the five districts of Karachi into a Karachi District that had a City District Government of Karachi overseeing the administration of the area, with 18 Towns and 178 Union Councils, each governed by elected officers. Under this system, fresh local government elections were held and Karachi saw better civil amelioration under the Nizamat of Naimatullah Khan and large-scale development and civic progress under Mustafa Kamal respectively.  

After the departure of Gen Musharraf, the Asif Zardari-led Pakistan Peoples Party' government repealed the 2001 Ordinance and passed the Sindh People's Local Government Ordinance (SPLGO 2012) in Sindh Assembly, restoring back the Metropolitan Corporation and five District Municipal Corporations in Karachi.  Further on, the Sindh Assembly approved the Sindh Local Government Act (SPLGA 2013) that adds another District Korangi and two District Councils of rural Karachi in the city administrative fold. According to Sindh Government spokesman, the SPLGA 2013 mirrors the Sindh Peoples Ordinance 1972, but in practice it isn't. As the 1972 Ordinance empowered the Mayor and Metropolitan to have oversight in many areas like city planning, development and etc but under the SPLGA 2013 not only the above functions have been curtailed, also some important departments within the KMC such as KWSB, KDA, KBCA, Solid Waste Management and etc are taken away from KMC to merge with Sindh Provincial Government.

However, under the 2014 orders of Supreme Court "to restore Local Government System", the Sindh government conducted local government elections in 2015 with Waseem Akhtar elected as Karachi Mayor with depleting power and authority. That's why in the new set-up under SPLGA 2013, Karachi is the victim of ongoing administrative tussle between Mayor and Sindh Government. The civil and municipal infrastructure of the city has been ruined, and Karachi is in sever grip of multifaceted problems like shortage and poisonous of water, outdated sewerage and drainage system, poor air and hygiene quality, inadequate transportation and massive traffic jamming, pollution and depleting urban forestry, power and housing shortages, ruination of coastal biodiversity and etc.    

In democracy, the level of local government comes before provincial and federal governments. The basic services for citizens are provided by local governments and that's also a opportunity to the locals from all walk of life including poor people, minorities and women to contribute in the development of their communities and influence the decision-making processes that are directly relevant to their lives. Ultimately, that strengthens local institutions for better governance. But as far as Karachi is concerned, unfortunately that neither happened in the past nor seems likely in near future.

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