Lyari Expressway
Encyclopedia
Lyari Expressway is a highway currently under construction along the Lyari River
in Karachi
, Sindh
, Pakistan
. This toll highway is designed to relieve congestion in the city of Karachi.
and to alleviate the burden of traffic plying between Karachi Port and the Super Highway heading upcountry.
It will be a 16.5 km 8 lane expressway
that will consist of four lanes on both sides, with two interchanges, five overpasses and five underpasses. Moreover, two lanes each will be constructed on either bank of the Lyari River
. Once completed, traffic volume is estimated at 34,000 vehicles. The expressway will have toll plazas at four locations.
The cost of developing this expressway has been revised several times since it was first proposed. Originally estimated at Rs 5.1 billion, as of March 2006 it is expected to cost Rs 8 billion once completed.
When work started on the Lyari Expressway in May 2002, the National Highway Authority (NHA) had expected to complete it in 30 months (i.e. by November 2004). Having revised the completion schedule, as of December 2006 the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), the executing agency for the NHA, expects the southbound section running from Sohrab Goth to Mauripur Road completed by the end of 2007.
newspaper.
. This is thought to be the largest urban demolition project for the purpose of road-making in the world. To resettle the displaced people, the government launched the Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project
. As part of this project, the people were given a compensation package that included an 80 square yard plot of land on the outskirts of Karachi
and Rs 50,000 for construction. The lands were allotted in newly developed suburbs in Hawke's Bay
, Taiser Town
and Baldia Town
.
The demolished settlements along the Lyari River
in most cases did not have all the utilities and were not planned constructions. The new suburbs at Hawke's Bay
, Taiser Town
and Baldia Town
however have been planned with utilities, transport, schools, parks and roads.. An assessment made in a Dawn
newspaper article describes the new sites as follows.
had developed over several decades, with some people having lived there for generations. As such, their forced removal and the demolition of their homes has resulted in widespread opposition and generated controversy. There has been pressure from groups within the country as well as foreign non-governmental agencies to halt construction or provide a better compensation package for the displaced people. Despite these controversies, resettlement has gone ahead and construction has continued.
The controversy was the subject of a 2002 short documentary film titled "The People vs. Lyari Expressway". The film was written and directed by Maheen Zia
and was screened at the Kara Film Festival
in Karachi
.
Lyari River
Lyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long...
in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. This toll highway is designed to relieve congestion in the city of Karachi.
Overview
The Lyari Expressway project was launched on May 11, 2002 with the aim of serving as a commuting artery connecting Mauripur Road and the Super HighwaySuper Highway
The M9, also known as "Super Highway", is a 138-km long motorway connecting the cities of Hyderabad and Karachi in Sindh province of Pakistan. It is part of Pakistan's Motorway Network.- Route :...
and to alleviate the burden of traffic plying between Karachi Port and the Super Highway heading upcountry.
It will be a 16.5 km 8 lane expressway
Controlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow and ingress/egress regulated...
that will consist of four lanes on both sides, with two interchanges, five overpasses and five underpasses. Moreover, two lanes each will be constructed on either bank of the Lyari River
Lyari River
Lyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long...
. Once completed, traffic volume is estimated at 34,000 vehicles. The expressway will have toll plazas at four locations.
The cost of developing this expressway has been revised several times since it was first proposed. Originally estimated at Rs 5.1 billion, as of March 2006 it is expected to cost Rs 8 billion once completed.
When work started on the Lyari Expressway in May 2002, the National Highway Authority (NHA) had expected to complete it in 30 months (i.e. by November 2004). Having revised the completion schedule, as of December 2006 the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), the executing agency for the NHA, expects the southbound section running from Sohrab Goth to Mauripur Road completed by the end of 2007.
History
This section is copied as-is from an article in the DawnDawn (newspaper)
Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
newspaper.
"The Lyari Expressway was nowhere in the picture until 1986. The Karachi Master Plan 1975-85 had proposed the Northern and Southern Bypasses to enable traffic going upcountry from Karachi port to bypass the city and thus ease congestion and pollution. The Southern Bypass was designed to go through the Defence AuthorityDefence Housing Authority, KarachiThe Defence Housing Authority, Karachi, also known as the Pakistan Defence Officers Housing Authority, Karachi, or DHA, Karachi, is the foremost development in Pakistan with many exclusive projects to its credit.-History and administration:...
area and link Karachi port with the National Highway. It had to be dropped because of stiff resistance from the DHADefence Housing Authority, KarachiThe Defence Housing Authority, Karachi, also known as the Pakistan Defence Officers Housing Authority, Karachi, or DHA, Karachi, is the foremost development in Pakistan with many exclusive projects to its credit.-History and administration:...
on environmental grounds. The Northern Bypass that could have been easily constructed then was not built on account of the apathy of the policy makers.
Public attention was focussed on the LyariLyariLyari is one of the neighbourhoods of Lyari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Lyari including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim...
, which wrecked (sic) destruction in 1977 when heavy rains caused severe flooding to 200 deaths. Wapda did come up with a flood protection plan but this was never implemented. In 1986, the Lyari Expressway was proposed as an alternative to the Northern Bypass, but was found unfeasible since 100,000 people would have to be evicted. The floods in 1993 led to the revival of the plan for the expressway as a device for flood protection apart from its function of providing another traffic corridor. Opposition from civil society led the SindhSindhSindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
government to arrange public hearings on the project in 1996 after which the Lyari Expressway was dropped and attention was focussed on the Northern Bypass for port traffic. This was found feasible in view of the fact that most of the land on which it was to be built was uninhabited. Four years later in 2000 the Karachi Port TrustKarachi Port TrustKarachi Port Trust is a Pakistani federal government agency that oversees the operations of the Port of Karachi in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.-History:...
decided to begin work on the Bypass on a BOT basis. It was to be a six-lane highway 68 km in length that would connect Mauripur to the Super HighwaySuper HighwayThe M9, also known as "Super Highway", is a 138-km long motorway connecting the cities of Hyderabad and Karachi in Sindh province of Pakistan. It is part of Pakistan's Motorway Network.- Route :...
beyond the toll plaza at Sohrab Goth.
In June 2001 there was a change of heart and the government came up with the idea of building both the Northern Bypass and the Lyari Expressway together in the budget for the bypass alone. This two-in-one approach appealed to the highest quarters though it is not known how this feat was to be achieved by those masterminding it. The work was entrusted to the National Highway Authority and the FWO (Frontier Works Organization) was appointed contractor for LEP (Lyari Expressway Project), and the NLC for the bypass. The alignment of the bypass was changed to make it shorter and its lanes were reduced to four to cut the cost."
Displacement and Resettlement
The construction of the Lyari Expressway required the demolition of 15,000 housing units and the displacement of 24,400 families living along the Lyari RiverLyari River
Lyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long...
. This is thought to be the largest urban demolition project for the purpose of road-making in the world. To resettle the displaced people, the government launched the Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project
Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project
Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project is a civic project in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan to provide replacement housing in developed suburbs for people displaced by the construction of the Lyari Expressway...
. As part of this project, the people were given a compensation package that included an 80 square yard plot of land on the outskirts of Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and Rs 50,000 for construction. The lands were allotted in newly developed suburbs in Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay (Karachi)
Hawke's Bay Town is located in Keamari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Hawke's Bay Town was notified in July, 1984 by Karachi Development Authority. It is a residential Scheme for low / medium income group....
, Taiser Town
Taiser Town
Taiser Town or Taiser Town Scheme-45 is one of the neighborhoods of Malir Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It has been established by Malir Development Authority to resettle people displaced due to the construction of Lyari Expressway along the Lyari River...
and Baldia Town
Baldia Town
Baldia Town is a town located in the western part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan 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...
.
The demolished settlements along the Lyari River
Lyari River
Lyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long...
in most cases did not have all the utilities and were not planned constructions. The new suburbs at Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay (Karachi)
Hawke's Bay Town is located in Keamari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Hawke's Bay Town was notified in July, 1984 by Karachi Development Authority. It is a residential Scheme for low / medium income group....
, Taiser Town
Taiser Town
Taiser Town or Taiser Town Scheme-45 is one of the neighborhoods of Malir Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It has been established by Malir Development Authority to resettle people displaced due to the construction of Lyari Expressway along the Lyari River...
and Baldia Town
Baldia Town
Baldia Town is a town located in the western part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan 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...
however have been planned with utilities, transport, schools, parks and roads.. An assessment made in a Dawn
Dawn (newspaper)
Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
newspaper article describes the new sites as follows.
"The exercise has offered a mixed bag to the people affected. The sites developed in Taiser TownTaiser TownTaiser Town or Taiser Town Scheme-45 is one of the neighborhoods of Malir Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It has been established by Malir Development Authority to resettle people displaced due to the construction of Lyari Expressway along the Lyari River...
, Hawke's BayHawke's Bay (Karachi)Hawke's Bay Town is located in Keamari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Hawke's Bay Town was notified in July, 1984 by Karachi Development Authority. It is a residential Scheme for low / medium income group....
and BaldiaBaldia TownBaldia Town is a town located in the western part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan 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...
are neat, clean and offer the advantage of an open environment. It is said that when the Hawke's Bay site for the Lyari affectees was launched in 2002 the displaced people were virtually dumped in the open with no water, electricity or gas. There were no regular bus services connecting it with the city.
But visits last month present a different picture. Taiser Town and the Hawke's Bay sites appear well developed. They had electricity connection, sewage lines had been laid and homes had started receiving gas connections. The plantation — of course not enough to make the entire area lush green— was substantial by Karachi standards.
Another positive aspect of life in the resettlement sites for those who are fortunate to get it is education. However it has not been easy sailing for everyone. There are not enough schools (and only one at the secondary level) though the Citizens FoundationThe Citizens FoundationThe Citizens Foundation is one of the largest non-profit organization in Pakistan in the field of education. It was established in 1995, by a group of like-minded citizens in Karachi...
(TCF) schools and others are being upgraded gradually. This means that the older children have suffered, and many of them have given up their education".
Controversy
The neighborhoods along the Lyari RiverLyari River
Lyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long...
had developed over several decades, with some people having lived there for generations. As such, their forced removal and the demolition of their homes has resulted in widespread opposition and generated controversy. There has been pressure from groups within the country as well as foreign non-governmental agencies to halt construction or provide a better compensation package for the displaced people. Despite these controversies, resettlement has gone ahead and construction has continued.
The controversy was the subject of a 2002 short documentary film titled "The People vs. Lyari Expressway". The film was written and directed by Maheen Zia
Maheen Zia
Maheen Zia is a Pakistani film director and film editor.She has a degree in Radio/TV Production from Drake University and teaches at the Department of Visual Studies at the University of Karachi....
and was screened at the Kara Film Festival
Kara Film Festival
The KaraFilm Festival - Karachi International Film Festival is an internationally recognized film festival of Pakistan annually held in Karachi....
in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
.
See also
- LyariLyariLyari is one of the neighbourhoods of Lyari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Lyari including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim...
- Lyari Development AuthorityLyari Development AuthorityLyari Development Authority was established in 1993 by the Government of Sindh to oversee the development of Lyari, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.- See also :* Hawksbay Scheme-42* Lyari Town* Karachi Improvement Trust* Karachi Metropolitan Corporation...
- Lyari RiverLyari RiverLyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long...
- Lyari TownLyari TownLyari Town is one of the eighteen constituent towns of the city of Karachi, in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the smallest town by area in the city but also the most densely populated town...
- Lyari Expressway Resettlement ProjectLyari Expressway Resettlement ProjectLyari Expressway Resettlement Project is a civic project in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan to provide replacement housing in developed suburbs for people displaced by the construction of the Lyari Expressway...
- Hawke's BayHawke's Bay (Karachi)Hawke's Bay Town is located in Keamari Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Hawke's Bay Town was notified in July, 1984 by Karachi Development Authority. It is a residential Scheme for low / medium income group....
- Taiser TownTaiser TownTaiser Town or Taiser Town Scheme-45 is one of the neighborhoods of Malir Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It has been established by Malir Development Authority to resettle people displaced due to the construction of Lyari Expressway along the Lyari River...
- Karachi Northern BypassKarachi Northern BypassThe M10 is a motorway located in Sindh province, Pakistan, however it is mostly referred to as the Karachi Northern Bypass. It is 57 km long and consists of 4 lanes .- Route :...
- Transport in KarachiTransport in KarachiThe city of Karachi is a major transport hub of Pakistan. The Karachi port and airport are major gateways to Pakistan. The Karachi Railway stations transports the major part of Pakistan's trade with other countries.-Local transport:...