KARACHI: Didar Hussain Shah, Project Director Lines Area Redevelopment Project (LARP) has sent a summary to Chief Minister Sindh for the revival of Lines Area Redevelopment Project.
The Lines Area Redevelopment Project (LARP) which lies under Karachi Development Authority has not been completed even after the passage of 35 years. The project was supposed to be completed within 5 years. LARP under Karachi Development Authority was launched in 1981.
In 1973, KDA notified LARP as a project to address the rehabilitation of Lines Area. In 1980, the project was converted into an independent organization, headed by an executive committee and an authorized board and was eventually launched in 1981 as a self-financing initiative.
The summary of the project, sent by Didar Hussain Shah, suggested that if approved, this project will be completed within two years of time. The number of Project’s permanent employee’s stands at 138 and the monthly expenditure is over Rs 8m, while LARP owes over Rs 76 million.
The Lines Area constituency is one of the worst slums in Karachi and LARP is believed to be the first of its kind of project in Pakistan with development and relocation plan, Didar Hussain told Daily Times.
The office and records of LARP was moved to Civic Centre without disclosing any reason after shifting its from Liquatabad Super Market Building and Shahra-e-Quaideen project office which worked for over 30 years. Those found involved in damaging the project work will be held responsible and will be investigated, Didar Shaha added.
Lines Area is bounded by M A Jinnah Road (North), Shahra-e-Faisal (South), Sindhi Muslim Housing Society and PECHS (East) and Saddar on (West). The LARP is responsible for developing 462 acres of its land which has been divided into eight sectors.
The project was based on eight sectors of the Lines Area originally, and aimed to complete development work on four roads and bulldoze squat lanes. It was also a resettlement project aiming to develop its congested streets and relocating the habitants from narrow settlements to a new location. A committee was formed with two elected councilors and a government official to survey and monitor the documents of the residents who owned houses in the area.
According to the layout plan, 12 thousand plots of LERP will be given to five thousand families with the purpose of relocating them. Residents settled there were categorized by their ownership validity, which were scrutinized and verified by the LARP. The families, who will be displaced by the project were divided into three categories based on ration cards, NCC, National Identity Card. Families which fall under category A, will get 45 yards plot within the Lines Area and families in category B will be given 60 yards out of the area.
Commercial plot holders were included in category C for the provision of 8 yards and they will get 16 yards and 32 yards of commercial plots in nearby areas.
As per plan of the project, Preedy Street starting from Saddar Dawakhana till the end of Mazaar Quaid, it was completed during the tenure of former City Nazim, Mustafa Kamal. 1,460 displaced families, out of 17, 640, were rehabilitated in Mehmoodabad at that time. Relocating and rehabilitating rest of the families remained suspended because of corruption, as the officials allotted and transferred the plots unfairly, not providing it to those residents who were eligible for the purpose.