Land Use Study
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Land use planning for unsustainable growth: Assessing the policy to implementation cycle Commercialization of roads in Karachi: A case study Farhan Anwar Acknowledgements o begin with I would like to acknowledge the trust reposed in me by Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment for Tundertaking the preparation of this Study that has been an exceptionally challenging task for me – given the constraints with the availability of the relevant data and lack of any prior research work on this particular aspect of urbanization in Karachi. Within this context, I have been extremely fortunate for the input I have received from relevant experts such as Arif Hasan and Dr.Noman Ahmed. In addition, I am greatly indebted to all the individuals whose research work I have referenced for this Study for highlighting some of the social and environmental consequences that can materialize as a result of unplanned land use change. Special thanks are due to Seema Khurram for excellently supervising and coordinating the field survey in the selected traffic corridors. I am also greatly indebted to the technical expertise extended in the composing and designing work for this document by M. Arshad Shah. It is hoped that even despite some constraints under which this work has been done, the findings would contribute usefully to the discourse on this subject and result in appropriate revisions and adjustments in the policy making and planning processes in the city so that they are more responsive to the needs of the residents and result in effective and appropriate social and environmental safeguards being put in place in the future development of this city. Farhan Anwar Introduction arachi, a city of 16 million is the economic powerhouse of Pakistan spread over 3,600 sq.km. Varied physical and Kecological landscape, a vibrant and educated populace, an important geo-strategic locale, and a rapidly growing services sector are a few of the many attributes that provide the city with the potential of competing proudly with any other large urban center of the world. Very few large cities in the world can boast of possessing such a diverse physical and ecological landscape as Karachi. Karachi also houses a rich architectural heritage. Karachi is also the main commercial and industrial center of Pakistan. In 2007, its per capita output exceeded the countries by 50 % and the provinces by 80%. The city accounts for a third of the total national output in large scale manufacturing, 24% in finance and insurance and 20% in transport, storage and communications. However, despite all the positive indicators, it is unfortunate that due to bad governance that include unplanned and unregulated physical development and the associated pollution threats, both the natural and built environment is equally threatened. Land is no longer considered a social asset to be used for public benefit, rather it has become a commercial commodity – function having the most financial benefit, that too to a select few in society determines the land use. The present Study profiles the process of unregulated commercialization of land parcels in Karachi within the backdrop of the policy decision of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) to allow for commercialization of various traffic corridors within the city under the CDGK Change of Land Use and Master Planning Bye-Laws 2003, notified on February 12, 2004. This decision had a history to it and did not come out of the blue. As such, the author attempts to place it in the context of the overall gaps in planning and development and the associated consequences with a particular focus on the policy, management and development aspects of urban land use change practices in the city. The various planning interventions are analyzed and it is argued that urban development plans have exercised no real control over the way the city has developed other than identifying some growth corridors. As a consequence, land is acquired and developed through means illegal and through a powerful nexus between private land developers, politicians and bureaucrats. A most potent manifestation of this unfortunate trend is termed as commercialization of land. It basically means converting an existing land use from residential or amenity/recreation to commercial usage. A Case Study is made of the commercialization process of Shahra-e-Faisal while tracing the overall trail of commercialization in the city. Some important contributing factors to the crisis that are cross cutting in nature, having political, financial, and administrative implications are highlighted such as growing demand for commercial land parcels, weak city governments, planning and development inadequacies, mal- administration and corruption practices. A comparative analysis is done between the Karachi Development Plan 1974-85 and Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020 to assess how government response has changed or adapted to accommodate and plan for this phenomenon. Also shared are the findings of a Public Opinion Survey that was carried out of a few selected commercialized roads. The main objective of the survey was to collect views on the commercialization of some selected major traffic corridors in the city in terms of the resulting impact on the quality of lives of the residents. Glimpses are provided, based on some available research, of some possible social and environmental consequences of the unplanned land use change associated with the implementation of the commercialization policy. The Study ends with some recommendations for regulating the process with interventions at the policy, institutional and implementation levels. Farhan Anwar Urban Planner September, 2010 Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Section 1 A city under stress the planning and development context 01 Origins and historical development – A Megapolis in the making 03 A strategic locale – lending a specific urban and commercial character 03 Rapid expansion - A city under stress 05 Planning and managing the land 07 The Bombay Town Planning Act 08 The Greater Karachi Plan -1952 08 The Greater Karachi Resettlement Plan - 1958 08 The Karachi Development Plan 1974-85 09 The Karachi Development Plan 2000 09 Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020 09 Analyzing the planning interventions 11 Absence of continuity 11 Absence of implementing and financing mechanisms 12 Absence of political mandate 12 Absence of stakeholder consultation 12 The dynamics of urban land management 12 Consequences of unplanned development 14 Spread of Katchi Abadis 15 Densification of the Inner City 15 Section 2 Commercialization of roads the policy to implementation cycle 17 Tracing the trail of commercialization 18 The CDGK commercialization policy 21 Procedure for change of land use 21 Restrictions 24 Management of income generated from change in land use 24 City District Council Committee 24 Repeal of Laws 27 The CDGK commercialization policy: Charting its own course! Promoting illegal land encroachment 27 Policies, regulations and judicial interventions: Do they really matter? 31 The Sindh Town Planning Act 1915 31 According to Section 18.5.1.1 (Commercialization of Plots) 33 The policy to implementation cycle 33 Satisfaction with commercialization 59 Growing demand for commercial land parcels 33 · Commercialization – Planned or unplanned? 60 Weak city governments 34 · Favorable and unfavorable commercial activities 61 Planning and development inadequacies 34 · Variations in level of impact 63 The mal-administration and corruption aspects 35 Key findings and implications for policy – An assessment 64 Planning or development: what comes first! 35 Variations in level of impact 64 Karachi Development Plan 1974-85 35 Traffic: The priority concern 64 Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020 38 Civic utilities under strain 66 A drastic decline in quality of life indicators 66 Section 3 The citizen: Standing outside the loop of the policy to The citizens speak implementation cycle 68 commercialization of traffic corridors in Karachi 41 Survey Objectives & Methodology 42 Section 4 Research Objectives 42 The aftermath Research Design 42 environmental and social consequences 69 Target Respondents 42 Increase in traffic 70 Sample Size Selected, Geographical Coverage Ambient air quality and noise levels 72 & Sample split 44 Death and Injuries due to road traffic accidents 75 Training Dynamics 44 Results 76 Recruitment of surveyors 44 Impact on pedestrian infrastructure 78 Briefing sessions 45 Background 78 Mock calls and Pilot 45 Road infrastructure and pedestrian environment 78 Field Methodology 45 Human Costs 80 Selection of households 45 Social Costs 81 Selection of respondents 45 Survey Results 81 Independent Back Checking 45 Crime and Security 82 Data Coding 45 The geography of criminology 82 Data Analysis 46 Methodology 83 Demographics 46 P.E.C.H.S, Karachi: A case study 84 The Findings 47 Spatial distribution of criminal events 85 Social and Environmental Impacts 47 Land use and events relationship 85 . Impact on the aesthetics 47 · Loss of vegetation 48 Section5 · Impact on property values 49 Looking ahead · Encroachment of public spaces 50 A framework for change 87 · Adverse impacts due to Increase in traffic volumes 51 Institutional arrangement 88 · Loss of privacy 52 · Increase in criminal activities 53 Planning controls 89 · Rating the adverse impacts 54 Civic rights and environmental questions 91 . Impact on Civic Utilities 55 Strategic Environmental Assessmen (SEA) 91 · Infrastructure rehabilitation to accommodate Understanding SEA 94