Karachi is a rapidly growing major conurbation in Pakistan. Its currently estimated population of some 7 million is predicted to rise to 14 million by the year 2000. Currently car ownership is low, as are family incomes. Mass public transport is provided by a publicly-owned fleet of single decker buses, operated by Karachi Transport Corporation; by a greater number of similar buses in diverse private ownership; and by many individually-owned minibuses. A small proportion of demand is served by infrequent suburban services on two Pakistan Railway lines. Fleets of taxis and autorickshaws provide a more personal and individual public service. Speeds are uniformly low in the main urban areas, vehicles are overloaded and the safety record is disappointing, although capacity is high in key corridors. From the operators viewpoint, fare levels (controlled by Government) are inadequate and profitability is marginal. The recently completed study, part financed by the World Bank, has addressed these problems with a view to reaching conclusions on appropriate measures to introduce, in the medium and long term. The study built on the results of a series of earlier studies, but with a new transport model based on wide ranging travel surveys. Alternatives considered were based on proven technology, and included: (a) improvements to the bus services with appropriate vehicles, better financing, operations and routing but with only minor improvements to the fixed infrastructure; (b) a network of light rail services; (c) enhancement of the Pakistan Railways suburban services; (d) a heavy metro railway network; and (e) a network of segregated and dedicated busways - designed and constructed to allow future conversions to light rail operations. The study concluded that the optimum long term provision should be based on bus services improved in capacity and quality with a network of convertible busways.
Samenvatting