PROBLEMS OF THE KARACHI

PROBLEMS OF THE KARACHI

Points: Introduction - Expansion of Karachi - Traffic problem - Inadequate supply of power and water - Housing and other problems.

Karachi, the biggest city of Pakistan, is rightly called a city of problems. A host of problems surround the Karachites at every step. If one problem is solved, another problem lies in wait for them.

The city of Karachi is always under the process of extension. All around the proper city, we find suburban localities are sprouting without an end. Since Karachi is ever expanding, so are the problems ever increasing. Transport is one of them. Majority of people in Karachi travel in buses and mini-buses. The number of buses and mini-buses in Karachi has increased in the recent years but as compared to the needs of the population the number is still very small. The fares of taxis and rickshaws are exorbitantly high. A common man cannot-afford this costly transport. Now every hour is a peak hour and thousands of people are found waiting for a transport on the bus stop. The most annoying feature of the transport system in Karachi is the rude behavior of the bus-conductor and the drivers of rickshaws and taxis. Again, the traffic in Karachi is now beyond control.

Due to reckless driving thousands of lives are lost every year. Pedestrians find it difficult to walk freely on roads. Traffic rules are openly violated. Traffic police are negligent in their duties.

The supply of power is inadequate and far from satisfactory. Power breakdown is quite frequent in almost all the areas of the city. Low voltage damages the costly electric appliances of the people. The work in factories, hospitals, offices and night colleges suffers because of frequent breakdown for hours. Water supply is also posing a big problem for the people of Karachi. Whatever projects of greater water supply in the city are completed the increase in population always out-distances them. Even in some of the most important areas of the city there is virtually no water supply for two or three days. People living in far-flung areas of Karachi suffer very badly for want of water.

Housing problem is yet another big problem for the Karachites. Since the bulk of population is poor, and belongs to labour class, they are worst effected by the shortage of houses. Again, the shortage of good schools and ,colleges in Karachi badly affects the education of children. Besides, adulteration, corruption and bribery in offices, lack of medical faculties, crimes of thefts, and violence are also plaguing the lives of the Karachites. It is very unfortunate that even after thirty nine years of our independence, we have not been able to overcome any of the fore mentioned problems.