Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman has said that city government has initiated a study to make the modern transport facilities available in Karachi by 2030 under the cooperation and financial support of Rs370million from JICA for which Japan International Cooperation Agency has also formed a 24 member team of experts out of which 7 members have already started conducting study. The members of study team called on Administrator Karachi Fazlur Rehman at his office in Civic Center and talked about the study program.
Administrator Karachi on this occasion said that city government will provide all possible help in the study and implementation of Urban Transport Master Plan 2030 for Karachi. He said that considering the ever increasing population in Karachi and the international status of city it was mandatory to provide more facilities to citizens by conducting advance study in all sectors of civic life so that the problems could be solved under a thorough planning and implementation.
Administrator Karachi said that necessary measures will be taken regarding the requirements, problems and their solution under this study and it would make it easy for government to solve the transport problems of city by providing better public transport facility to citizens, adding that the Karachi Mass Transit Cell, Transport & Communication and E&IP Department will have to play active role in the study so as to make it possible for JICA to complete it during two year’s period and the same could be implemented at the earliest.
Administrator Karachi said that Mass Transit Cell of City Government has already provided the Karachi Strategic Plan 2020 to JICA; however it was further extending the plan up to 2030 by conducting the study. He said that he will try that the notifications of technical and joint steering committees of Government of Sindh could be issued on time which would help JICA to conduct its study on a timely basis and complete it as per schedule.
In a briefing on this occasion, the Administrator was informed that local experts including Arif Hasan, Nauman Ahmed of NED University, Syed Shabbar Ali and Farhan Anwer of “Shehri” have been coordinated for KUTMP 2030 after which the amended plan has been handed over to JICA. The project would give a comprehensive transport master plan to city. Japan International Cooperation Agency has allocated the financial support of Rs356million while the Sindh Government and City Government Karachi have also contributed with Rs14.7million for the study. The PC-II of the project has also been approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on 18th March and a total of 24 members were appointed for the study out of which 7 members have already reached Pakistan and the other one would also visit the country. The study team would submit one or two feasible plans and also prepare its feasibility. The briefing was given by Director General KMTC Malik Zaheer-ul-Islam. Administrator Karachi and the team members of JICA appreciated the work of Karachi Mass Transit Cell in the preparation of transport project for Karachi.
