KARACHI: The first meeting of the steering committee formed to develop the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047 was held, where officials were informed that the new master plan for Karachi would be completed within the next two years.
Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani chaired the meeting. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, senior officials from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Malir Development Authority (MDA), Lyari Development Authority (LDA), Additional Chief Secretary (Local Government) Waseem Shamshad, Senior Member Board of Revenue Baqaullah Unar, Planning & Development Secretary Sajjad Abbasi, Project Director Muhammad Arshad Khan, and representatives of consulting firms also attended.
The local government department, in collaboration with civic agencies and civil society organisations, will prepare a detailed master plan to guide Karachi’s development over the next two decades.
During the meeting, the project director presented a progress report on the Greater Karachi Regional Plan 2047, while consulting companies reviewed the first phase of the project.
No Approved Master Plan for Karachi:
Minister Ghani said that Karachi currently has no officially approved master plan, which has led to unplanned and disorganised urban development.
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He said the new regional plan is a major step to manage the city’s growth and resolve key civic and infrastructure problems. The plan will focus on stopping illegal construction and improving major sectors such as water supply, sanitation, healthcare, education, transport, infrastructure, and business.
He added that the new plan will serve as a roadmap for Karachi’s development till 2047.
Previous Master Plan Expired in 2017:
Mayor Murtaza Wahab informed the meeting that the last approved plan, the Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020, was extended only up to 2017 and has since expired. The absence of a new plan has caused issues in all major sectors and led to uncontrolled expansion of the city.
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He said the Sindh government and local bodies are working together to ensure that all important stakeholders are included in the planning process to guide Karachi’s future.
Since 1923, Karachi has seen six master plans: in 1923, 1948, 1952, 1974, 1991, and 2007. The most recent, Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020, was developed by the former City District Government Karachi but could not be fully implemented due to various challenges.
