MALIR EXPRESSWAY

 

These are the bunch of news which reflects that Malir express way is not "development". This is the Malir expressway so called "development" which will come into being as a result of displacement of homes that fall along the route of this road network.

 

IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT 

o   Nowadays everyone is talking about the green area destroyed for this development project. but infact, there was a large part of Malir river which was used for cultivation that often caused flash floods during monsoon season which resulted in loss of life and valuables in the area. As the construction for Malir expressway is being done on the riverbed the condition of floods will become worse with every upcoming year.

o   Karachi, the city affected most by climate change will be facing the same issue again but now even worse as the additional traffic would lead to additional greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution hence increasing global warming and yearly heatwaves.

o   It is destroying the only greenfield in the city which was the source of fruits and vegetables. It will also lead to unemployment because for some these green fields was the only source of livelihood

o   The worst impact of this project will be the people living around the construction area who will be forced to move into a different area and their houses will be needed to be demolished for the continuation of this project. This is not the first time such action will be taken, we have seen the same process of construction and razing of people’s residence during the Lyari expressway project and CPEC. During these people were told they’ll be given alternative accommodation but still they haven’t been gotten back to which has resulted in people being homeless and as for now there is no hope of shelter for people being forced to evict.

Avoidance of demolishment of people’s houses: 

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah approved some changes proposed by the local government department in the alignment of the Malir Expressway project.

At the 36th meeting of the Public-Private Partnership Board, officials proposed “minor” changes in the alignment of the Malir Expressway in Gadap and Memon Goth areas.

these changes were aimed at improving hydrology and engineering design of the project.

The officials said the change in alignment would require only 10.3 acres of private land instead of 148 acres and save Rs3 billion in land acquisition.

They said that earlier 204 houses were affected but now no house would be affected.

The meeting also reviewed several projects, including safety and security of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, regional blood centre projects, clean blood supply to National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Jhirk Malla Bridge Link Road project, Karachi-Thatta Dual Carriageway

 

Even if the routes have been realigned to avoid further homelessness doesn’t make this project a development project as it is still affecting the climate, green fields, livelihoods of people; causing unemployment, proves that this project will continue to affect the city in the long-term.