Karachi’s transport conundrum

Despite being Pakistan’s economic hub and largest city, Karachi does not have a public transport system worth the name. Decades of neglect by successive governments, federal and provincial, have left the people of this bustling metropolis with no proper way to commute, with rickety, smoke-emitting buses and dangerous qingqi rickshaws being the only — highly unattractive, mind you — options in most cases.

The average citizen cannot afford the high costs of online cabs while the bus apps introduced in the city are marked by spotty service; those that were performing relatively well closed shop during the Covid-19 lockdown. It appears that the high and mighty of this land care little about the sufferings of the little guy, for they are ferried about in luxurious, gas-guzzling vehicles, gun-toting goons packed in tow for ‘protocol’.

In such a grim scenario, a few official announcements of recent concerning Karachi’s public transport scenario serve as a glimmer of hope, though pessimists would be tempted to say it is too little too late, or worse, we’ll believe it when we see it.

The first development came in the shape of the arrival of 40 buses from China to the port city for the Green Line bus project in September. This was the first sign that this federally funded scheme — launched during Nawaz Sharif’s government in 2016 — was nearing completion. The second batch of 40 buses landed in Karachi last Thursday, fuelling hopes that the project would see the light of day soon.

Another major development also came last month when Prime Minister Imran Khan ‘inaugurated’ the Karachi Circular Railway project while on a trip to the Sindh capital. The KCR, once a functioning concern that offered citizens of Karachi living in the outskirts of the metropolis a comfortable ride into town for work, study or trade, was shut down in the 1990s. Only last year, upon orders of the Supreme Court, it was partially restored, but much work remains to be done until the KCR is transformed into a fully functional commuter rail service for the people of Karachi.

Moreover, on Oct 27 the Sindh government and National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) inked a deal that is designed to bring 250 buses to Karachi; 50 of these vehicles are due to arrive early next year. However, it is unclear how these buses will fit into the grander transport scheme in Karachi, as there seems to be no integrated public transport plan for the megacity.

Let us firstly examine the Green Line development. If anyone thinks 40 buses — or even 80 for that matter — will solve Karachi’s chronic transport problem, they are deluding themselves. Hundreds of buses are needed to connect people living in the four corners of this vast, ever-growing city to the centres of commerce, trade and academia clustered in its core. While officials say the Green Line will be operational by November, which is not too far away, it is hoped more buses are added to the fleet to accommodate the maximum number of commuters comfortably.

Moreover, the multibillion-rupee question is: what about the other multi-coloured bus lines that are in various stages of development? For example while the infrastructure for the Sindh government-funded Orange Line track is complete, there is no sign of the buses. Also, while agreements have been signed, some with multilateral institutions, for the Red, Yellow and Blue lines, God only knows when these will see the light of day, as the Sindh government is not exactly known for its efficient governance.

Coming to the KCR, making this project operational is an equally gargantuan task. While along some parts of the track encroachments have been removed, elsewhere the tracks have completely disappeared, destroyed by the elements and human neglect. The federal government has approved the removal of level crossings and their replacement with flyovers and underpasses for the smooth running of the commuter train. But several times in the past there has also been talk of ‘reviving’ the KCR; however, most such attempts have proved stillborn.

The fact is that Karachi needs a public transport master plan. While other cities in Pakistan much smaller in size and population have functional bus and rail lines, Karachi sadly has been denied this right, thanks to the negligence of successive federal and provincial governments, and the apparently elitist thinking of the rulers, who remain least concerned about the plight of the little guy. This needs to change immediately, and the folks at the top need to put their money where their mouth is.

Firstly, all stakeholders — the federal, provincial and local governments, civil society as well as experts of the field — must be consulted. Thereafter, a plan of action needs to be finalised which envisions a modern, safe and comfortable public transport system for Karachi encompassing buses, trains, light rail etc. with solid deliverables; i.e. when it will become operational, costs involved etc. It has often been observed that representatives of the federal government say one thing regarding Karachi’s transport projects, while officials of the Sindh government say another. This politicking only hurts the people of Karachi, as the political quarters remain engaged in slinging mud on each other. At least where Karachi’s civic issues are concerned, the federal and provincial administrations must be on the same page, while the decisions need to be endorsed by an elected city mayor.

The people of Karachi have had enough of being left in the lurch where public transport is concerned. They deserve much better.

The writer is City Editor, Bol News