The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) these days is very active for improving conditions in Karachi, which has been facing a host of civic and other problems. Activities for repairing roads, improving sanitation, easing traffic flow and providing parking spaces have been initiated for fast implementation.
However, the scope and full impact of CDGK efforts is predicated to resource availability, priority accorded to a particular function in a given locality and the keenness for proper execution of different schemes and projects.
The CDGK had sometimes ago initiated charged car parking on the roads in Karachi. This provided some solace in that the vehicles were parked in an organised manner. However, as additional parking spaces were not developed, traffic flow remained slow and irregular.
With the discontinuation of charged parking by CDGK, congestion on roads and traffic muddle has increased. In Karachi, there is severe shortage of safe parking spaces. Traffic flow can be improved and accident hazards reduced if proper parking lots are developed at suitable places along with other measures for controlling the number of cars on the roads.
Both the public and private sectors can contribute in the construction and operation of proper parking lots. The CDGK can facilitate the private sector in the smooth flow of traffic and the establishment of parking lots in the city.
Secure parking is the dream of every car owner in Karachi.
All vehicles occasionally need some sort of parking space in and around commercial areas, business centers, railway stations, schools, colleges, universities and so many other establishments.
Persons using personal cars for coming to office are mostly obliged to park the vehicles on the road-side as the office blocks or commercial buildings provide limited parking slots, which are mostly reserved for senior officers or the owners of the buildings. The pedestrians and the customers, particularly the families with children are inconvenienced. Position is particularly critical near hospitals and schools.
Due to parking on the roadside the flow of traffic is at snail's pace. The pedestrians feel more uncomfortable as they are forced to walk in the middle of the roads, the footpaths being usurped by the vendors.
The following type of parking facilities might be considered for Karachi (other cities can consider with appropriate changes):
1. Parking and repair yards for extra-long and long trailers may be considered near Karachi Port and Port Bin Qasim as well as on the Super Highway near Toll Plaza, the National Highway and the Hub River Road. Now that the Northern By-Pass and Lyari Express Way are being constructed proper spaces may be provided for developing similar parking and repair facilities there.
2. Parking and repair yards for oil tankers may be considered near oil refineries and adjacent to the petrol pumps, powerhouses and industrial units consuming large amount of petroleum products or chemicals. Separate parking and repair yards may be developed for water tankers, trucks, buses, coaches, mini-buses and vans at appropriate places including at their terminals.
3. New terminals with parking space may be encouraged for buses, mini-buses, coaches, taxis, rickshaws and vans. Existing terminals in Karachi mostly lack many facilities and the number of the terminals is also not adequate. More terminals particularly for out-station vehicles need to be developed. The two or three modern terminals being developed by the CDGK would provide some relief. If private sector is associated, they can share the function with the city government and make some profit in the process.
4.
Open and covered parking spaces for cars, taxis, vans and motorcycles are badly needed at numerous locations in the city. In addition, roadside space for parking may be selectively developed for cars, taxis, vans and motorcycles for short duration stays. Parking space is also needed for cars, rickshaws, motorcycles, etc near hospitals, children schools, colleges and other similar institutions.
The parking places on the road sides may be clearly marked and the law enforcement authorities may be prohibited to lift vehicles from these places for collecting fines.
5. Terminal and parking lots for animal-driven carts in different parts of the city are required in Saddar, Jordia Bazar and similar other locations, where traffic of such carts is significant.
6. All public and private vehicles that ply on roads during daytime require proper parking space during night. This is true for trucks, buses, vans, cars and other mechanical or animal modes of transport. Specific parking space may be developed for large vehicles, the parking of which in the streets of residential areas may not be allowed.
7. Declaring I. I. Chundrigar Road as off limit for the buses has been a good measure. More roads may be identified for such restrictions.
The parking facilities mentioned above will provide big relief in the flow of traffic and convenience to the people. However, simultaneously a number of other steps require to be taken by the civic authorities. The owners of commercial and other buildings may be obliged to provide parking spaces for own employees as well as customers and visitors. The KBCA efforts to restore parking area for the intended purposes are a positive measure and the campaign may be continued unabated.
Commercial vehicles now are generally parked in the streets and are repaired during day and often during night as well. Taxis, rickshaws, cars, vans etc are also parked at service stations or nearby repair shops for the night. Small repairs are sometimes carried out at night. Roadside repairs of vehicles are a big inconvenience for the residents of the surrounding areas. Denting of vehicles produces noise, an undesirable pollution, of which eventually all cities are to be cleaned. Repair and denting zones may be developed within city areas and all such workshops moved to the zone. New and improved regulations for parking of vehicles may be adopted and enforced.
Participation with the private sector in parking lot projects may take many forms, such as:
1. The civic authority may lease out its own plots of land to the private sector to develop into vehicle terminals or parking lots or both. Terms of lease may be standardised and published for public knowledge so that there is more competition and the public gets the facility at a lower rate.
2. The civic authority may choose to itself construct multi-storey parking lots on plots of land owned by it. The parking plazas planned for Lines Area and Jahangir Park in Saddar perhaps fall in this category. Subsequently, the parking lots may be leased out to private sector for operation. The banks may be willing to finance construction of such buildings against acceptable securities.
3. In case civic authorities do not have suitable plots of land at designated locations, they may invite the private sector, through open bids, to develop and operate parking lots / vehicle terminals at the given locations against the right to collect appropriate fee from the vehicles which use the facilities; and
4. Private owners usually have open plots available for construction of commercial building at some future date.
The civic authority may notify the rules for temporarily use of such plots for parking of cars and small vehicles, with the right to the owner to collect reasonable fee from users of the facility.
The civic authorities are considered responsible for providing parking space for public and private transport. To be able to provide such facilities to people and make their cities and towns more livable, the following points may be kept in view: (1) fees collected for use of parking space should not be excessive, (2) dealing with the private sector must be fair and transparent, and (3) the civic authority may seek expert help in developing participatory deals with the private sector, with full realisation that the private sector is normally the best negotiator of deals and documents.
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