Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Saturday announced that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is renovating and upgrading 49 parks with modern amenities. He made the announcement during a meeting of the KMC’s Parks & Recreation Department he chaired.Wahab said that this year the KMC would construct 49 new parks in various areas of the city. The official website of the KMC will provide people with complete details about the locations, areas, maps and facilities of all the KMC’s parks, he added.
He said the KMC would allocate a quarter of each park’s area for recreational activities and other essential needs. He emphasised that public and business associations’ cooperation is crucial for the success of their efforts to make Karachi a green and clean city.
He highlighted that while government efforts have significantly improved the condition of parks and recreational spots in the city, more work is needed. He stressed that parks across various districts are essential for people and must be protected from the land mafia while being equipped with better facilities.He directed the KMC staff to maintain swings and other equipment at all parks, ensure that 25 per cent of each park’s area is reserved for recreational activities and life’s necessities, and prevent branding on national monuments.
He also instructed the parks department to meet their revenue target for the current financial year, and practise frugality to control expenses. He noted that funds are available for constructing 49 new parks, and urged the department to expedite this work. He instructed that all parks offer recreational facilities and food items.He called for complete revenue collection from contractors providing services at parks such as Bagh Ibne Qasim, the Korangi Family Park, the Kashmir Park and the Aziz Bhatti Park to fund their improvement.
He also directed the parks department to increase the city’s beauty by improving green belts, roundabouts and roadsides, and planting seasonal flowers in all the open spaces. He said the development process in Karachi is progressing rapidly, and the KMC, in collaboration with the Sindh government, would continue providing better urban amenities.
