Daily Times

Rapid urbanization and massive population influx to urban areas posed multiple challenges to cities managers in sustaining populace load and ensuring uninterrupted provision of civic amenities to residents.

Over the period urbanization emerged as a global phenomenon with cities swelling and swelling thus resulting in shrinking facilities and overburdened civic departments with Pakistan also not being an exception to this tendency.

Many cultural regions and cities are fast losing their vitality with even preserved heritage under extreme pressure of urbanization besides usage of rich agricultural land for abruptly erecting housing societies and residential colonies.

Urban growth also poses challenges like pollution and waste generation, cleanliness and hygiene, social inequities and above all infrastructure development as witnessed in South Punjab region. But, when it is a planned growth with areas properly developed, the situation is entirely different.

Rich in cultural heritage and natural resources, this region faces multiple social, geographical and economic challenge urgently needing sustainable practices for well-being of inhabitants as abrupt urbanization brings with it a glut of hardships.

Comprising Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions’ South Punjab is home to a diverse population but unchecked urbanization has shrunk its resources and urban centers suffer poor infrastructure, lack of public transport systems, inefficient waste management, water scarcity, air pollution and overall environmental degradation. “Urbanization in Pakistan is accelerating rapidly with projections that urban population could surpass 50% by 2025,” stated Qaswar Abbas, Director Urban Planning, Multan Development Authority (MDA). “It is a serious challenge as rapid growth affects infrastructure, develops slums, enhance traffic load, overburden sewerage system and finally making the living conditions unhygienic.”

He said this phenomenon also results in inequalities putting social stability at risk, creates water and sanitation crisis and spread diseases.

The World Cities Report 2021 by UN-Habitat highlights sustainable urbanization in shaping resilient, inclusive and prosperous cities as the global shift towards urban living reckons that over 56% of the world’s population was living in cities by 2020.

Highlighting opportunities and risks associated with rapid urbanization, the UN-Habitat report encourages governments and stakeholders to pursue inclusive urban planning, invest in green infrastructure and enhance social safety nets to foster equitable and sustainable cities. It also calls for urgent global cooperation to address challenges of urbanization and ensure that cities are centers of innovation, equality and sustainability.

The Urban Development Overview 2020 by the World Bank also outlines the importance of sustainable urbanization in fostering economic growth, reducing poverty and improving living standards. Seeing in other perspective, rapid urbanization particularly in developing countries like Pakistan is both a driver of economic opportunities and a source of challenges. Therefore, if there is proper planning, the challenges can be converted into opportunities.

“As far as environmental degradation due to urbanization is concerned, there are immense opportunities to enhance biodiversity and contribute to residents’ physical and mental health,” remarked Director General, Pakistan Horticultural Authority (PHA), Asif Rauf Khan.

“Green infrastructure like parks, urban forests and wetlands can mitigate environmental degradation occurring due to urbanization,” he said. “Green spaces reduce urban heat and pollution, improve biodiversity and contribute to residents’ wellbeing.”

He emphasizes cities inclusiveness with green environment and pollution control leading to a better quality of life. “Partnerships between governments, private sector and communities are crucial for successful urban development.”

Several cities around the globe offer valuable lessons in sustainable urban planning like Curitiba in Brazil for developing bus rapid transit to reduce pollution and load on infrastructure and Singapore for water conservation practices.

Therefore, initiatives like desalination, wastewater treatment and rainwater harvesting can contribute much in sustainable urban planning if our city managers have workable solutions in their minds.

“Wastewater recycling and efficient irrigation techniques can help save water. Cities like Multan and Bahawalpur should prioritize water-sensitive urban designs to minimize runoff and encourage water conservation,” stated Arif Abbas, Director Works, Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Multan.

He said WASA has launched water and sanitation schemes worth millions of rupees here in Multan through funding of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and situation would improve in near future.

Amidst all these challenges, the top city managers hope better days ahead as for them establishment of South Punjab Secretariat was a leap forward for addressing region’s problems.

“Financial and administrative autonomy of South Punjab is helping us in making effective and responsive decisions at local level,” remarked Fawad Hashmi, Additional Chief Secretary at South Punjab Secretariat. “We are working on region’s development under a comprehensive program. We have no shortage of emerging opportunities for growth and development.”