The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has submitted a list of development projects with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for funding under its proposed $400 million technical assistance (TA) loan facility. The list includes projects pertaining to works and services, housing, transport, agriculture, irrigation, water and sewerage and other sectors. Mostly of these projects are of revenue-generating nature meant to repay the loan.
According to official sources, an ADB mission is expected to visit Karachi in near future to give final nod in this regard.
ADB is most likely to approve the facility because as a first step it has already approved $150,000 technical assistance for preparation of feasibility of these projects.
The projects in works and services sector include construction of 100 km Karachi coastal highway, elevated bridges from Hotel Mehran to Jinnah Terminal, construction of road on both sides of Malir River Bund, 26 steel bridges on important road intersections, rehabilitation and improvement of '8000 Road' in Korangi and procurement of machinery and equipment for asphalt plant.
In housing sector, 2500 low-cost housing units each on Super Highway and National Highway have been planned.
Transport sector projects include construction of parking plazas, preparation of urban transport environment study, transport master plan, establishment of urban bus terminal, construction of inter-city bus terminals, construction of pedestrian overpasses and underpasses, urban traffic control system, and introduction of environment-friendly large-size buses.
The agriculture and irrigation sectors envisage development of drip/sprinkling irrigation system in Gadap and Malir, forests, livestock development at farms, animal husbandry, water management, establishment of cattle town, re-use of sewerage water for agriculture purposes, poultry and fisheries sector.
A number of large and small development scheme are included in water and sewerage sector.
Officials said that these schemes are part of Urban Development Plan of city government, moved to federal government to be included in its Mid-Term Development Framework 2005-10.
The concept plan of ADB's TA loan requires that feasibility study would be preceded by a detailed assessment of the urban infrastructure and service needs and priorities of the mega city.
It also points out severe deficiencies in basic urban infrastructure and services such as water supply, sewerage system, drainage, solid waste management, transportation and community services.
While it says that annual average growth rate in the country is at around 3.5 percent, Karachi has the highest concentration of urban population of 14 million, growing at 6 percent per annum.
With worst civic conditions, the situation has further aggravated by the inadequate management and financial capacities of the urban local administration, especially in relation to the demands of the recent devolution plan and the weak institutional interfaces with consequent uncoordinated development of services.
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