NED University of Engineering and Technology

Introduction:

This is basically an assignment report to enhance the observational skills of the students,
related to problems and the solutions of the city.

Being an Urban Engineer more specifically traffic engineer, I have selected the problems related
to road networks of my town, Baldia Town. All the problems observed by me and their
solutions according to my knowledge are discussed in this report.

About Baldia Town:

Baldia Town is a town located in the western part of Karachi with a population of more than
400,000 at the 1998 census. It is bordered by SITE Town and Orangi to the east and by Kiamari
Town to the north and west, with most of the western boundary formed by part of the RCD
Highway. It has 8 UC’s and the data of population is shown in table below. About 90% of
residents of Baldia town are labor class. The residential plots are of sizes 60, 80, and 120 square
yards.

S.No. Union Council Population

1 Gulshan-e-Gazi 51,096
2 Ittehad Town 54,625
3 Islam Nagar 39,879
4 Nai Abadi 38,948
5 Saeedabad 56,084
6 Mohajir Camp 63,557
7 Muslim Mujahid 50,571
Colony
8 Rasheedabad 51,405

Problems:

The residents of Baldia town are lucky to have such rapid development in the last 5 years, the
shape of Baldia town is totally different from what it was before this administrative system.
New network of roads is been laid out, all the UC’s are provided with basic utility lines like
water supply, sewerage, telephone and electricity lines. All the Nazim’s did a very well job
along with their team, since this was for the first time and the Nazim were not technically
strong, so they did what was best according to them, but there are problems related to

I OWN KARACHI (Report on Baldia Town)

NED University of Engineering and Technology

planning, and technical aspects of the road construction, sewerage system, storm water
drainage, and placement of utility lines.

I will primarily discuss the problems related to road and storm water drainage in this report.

Bad Planning of Storm water Drains:

As I have mentioned above the Nazim was not a technical person he did his level best to make
his town better to serve its residents but unluckily he did not get good consultant who did bad
planning which is explained below.

 Problem 1: Baldia town has advantage that it has natural slope which can be very
beneficial for draining out the rain water. But due to lake of planning proper
utilization of available drainage is not done, means that all the drainage is covered
from top and there is no opening for water to enter in the drain as a result of which
water stands over the roadside and cause problems. Figure 1.0-a

 Solution: The only thing that can be happened in this case is we can provide opening
in the curb stones placed at the edges of road. Figure 1.0-b

Figure 1.0-a

Figure 1.0-b

I OWN KARACHI (Report on Baldia Town)

NED University of Engineering and Technology

 Problem 2: The second thing is construction and planning fault both, at some places slope is not
provided in the direction where the storm water drain is, which is construction fault that is slope
is not maintained at the time of construction, and water accumulate the road surface. The
second is planning fault that is the collector streets which do not have drain along with them are
not given slope so that their water should be drain out to the drainage provided along with the
main collector streets. Figure 2.0

Figure 2.0

 Solution: The minor collector streets which are not provided with the storm water drain and
slop, should be provided with small size about 1 feet wide drain (depth will be vary according to
slope) along the edge of road that collect the water from minor collector and will drain out in
the drain of main collector. Figure 3.0

Figure 3.0

I OWN KARACHI (Report on Baldia Town)

NED University of Engineering and Technology

Bad Planning of Road Network:

 Problem 1: Road network is not properly planed that is master plan is not made; roads
are made abruptly proper survey is not done. For example the roads which are not
suppose to have high traffic density are widened and are of up to 6 lanes, on the other
end the minor artery which collects the traffic from different UCs and connects it with
the main road is only of 4 lanes. Figure 4.0

Figure 4.0

 Solution: Now it is the responsibility of next government that they must properly plan
the road networks and should make a plan for the road networks according the traffic
supposed to be traveled on these roads. And these minor arterials must be widened.
 Problem 2: This problem is already discussed above that roads are too much wide (6
lanes) but the traffic volume is not that much and not supposed to increased in the
future because most of the population is labor class and they use public transport and
use motor bikes and bi cycles. But these roads contain electric poles in the last lane of
the road after each kilometer which really discourages the traffic at this lane. Figure 5.0

Figure 5.0

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NED University of Engineering and Technology

 Solution: First solution is that these electric poles must be placed beside the walkway,
which the administration did not do at the time of construction even they did cutting in
order to widen the road.
Second thing that could be done here is we convert this lane into parking lane and put
some charge for this parking, because this is a commercial area and on the both sides
there are furniture showrooms, so people visit rapidly these shops along with their cars,
and loading vehicles for furniture also stands there. And at night commercial vehicles
also parked at this road. This charged parking could generate revenue that can be
utilized for the maintenance of the road. Figure 6.0

Figure 6.0

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NED University of Engineering and Technology

Encroachment on the roads:

 Problem 1: Third problem is related to the collector road which contains a market in
between, due to this market space the hawkers has occupied more than one lane that is
one and half lane most of them are fruit sellers and burger point, so it causes problem
to the driver. There are also two rickshaw stand and taxi stand which also interrupts
traffic.
 Solution: As I have earlier mentioned that the new roads are very wide and have more
capacity then the traffic volume using it, even after one and half lane occupied there is
no problem of traffic jam but the problem is of safety, the pedestrians are not safe in
this whole scenario.
What I think is that we must provide Fiber glass cabins (as used by CDGK) to the hawkers
which can easily been accumulating in less than one lane where there is abundance of
hawkers (near market area).
The second thing is that we must convert one lane into parking lane so as to facilitate
the people coming to the market ant provide same space to the taxi and rickshaw
drivers and charge them for this facility, once again this money can be used for
maintenance of the road.

Note: Due to Eid season there was too much rush in that area so I am unable to show the real
picture and the idea which I have told earlier. Since the geometry and condition of the road is
same as discussed in the problem no 2, so by that picture (Figure 6.0) we can have a rough idea
what I have discussed in this problem.

 Problem 2: This problem is also related to encroachment, and is on the road where
garages are in abundance. At this road buses and small vehicle comes for the
maintenance and the driver park the vehicle in a very wrong way so that only one lane
remain open for the traffic, even than traffic does not jam due to low traffic but to a
driver like me it hurts to drive in the wrong direction lane due not having space at my
place. Figure 7.0

Figure 7.0

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NED University of Engineering and Technology

 Solution: If we provide box parking on the both sides of the road only one lane will be occupied
and two lanes on each side will remain open for the traffic, charged parking can be considered in
order to have money for the maintenance and repair of the road. Figure 8.0

Figure 8.0

I OWN KARACHI (Report on Baldia Town)

NED University of Engineering and Technology

Conclusion:

According to my observation and my perspective by proper team work of professional Baldia

town can be turn into a very good neighborhood. For the next government the things are very
clear they must make a plan first under supervision of professional (volunteers like we students
and people who are already in this field can also be consulted during planning).

One more thing which I would to suggest is that we must bring the trend of bi cycle in this
town, because about 90% of the population is labor class of this town and they work in the site
area where people even go by walk to their jobs, and distance is about 8 to 10 KMs, which can
be easily travelled by bicycle. If we provide proper route and lanes for these bicyclists this will
be the most suitable option for these people, because they can not afford 1000 rupees per
month for the fair of the buses from pay of 6000 rupees.

All the things discussed in this report are my personal observations and solutions provided
are my perspective, please madam do let me know are they professional enough to be
presented to the town administration for execution.

I OWN KARACHI (Report on Baldia Town)