Abstract
Introduction
Modern development is patented by rapid urbanization, which largely negatively affects the quality of life. Over the past few decades in the World; in the field of urban planning and the real estate market, Mixed-use development has become a Centre of attention. Karachi is the mega city with the highest population in Pakistan. Gulshan-e Iqbal is considered an upper to upper-middle-class income group residential place where mostly vertical development is observed. Soon the area gets popular for living, and road-facing flats started to engage in Residential cum commercial activities i.e., mixed-used development problems (traffic jams, people's regular mobility, etc.) for residents arose and as the area got crowded day by day these problems became more critical. The present research aimed to examine the land-use type, and its distribution in the area of Gulshan-e-Iqbal I, and investigate the causes of the failure of Mixed-Use Neighborhood development and to prove the problem environmental impact assessment of the area have also been done.
Materials and methods
Object-based analyses have been conducted on a very high-resolution image of the SAS planet, Digitization has been done on the image later classified into 14 major classes. After attempting the strategic objective identification of issues causing Mobility, an inductive approach (Resident Survey) to analyze the resident perception and to validate issues raised due to mixed-use development, Environmental Impact Analysis has been done. Air Quality of study area has been done, in this regard PM 10 ppm, PM 1 ppm, PM 2.5, CO, CO2, and TVOC have been conducted for different timings. Wind Velocity has also been recorded for the same locations.
Results and discussion
It has been investigated that mixed-use development is spread over the entire area by different ratios i.e., 7.3% by functional land-use, 24% of mixed-use development occupied 24% of total land-use in the area. From public perception, it is concluded that most people have their cars even more than two, and 66.7% park their cars on the streets rather than inside their premises. PM10 ppm values are higher along major roads and expressways and mixed-use development zones. PM2.5 reading is higher (249–267 ppm) at the mixed-use development. The overall Gulshan e Iqbal 1 is under the influence of PM1 pollution i.e., ranged from 153 to 248 ppm. The maximum emission (67–73 ppm) of Carbon monoxide is found at ATMs. The vast spread of CO2 in the atmosphere but along the main roads and interjections i.e., 342 ppm while the highest reading reached up to 800. TVOC is commonly found in congested places where there is more transport in limited areas. Wind velocity is found where the built-up structure is compact wind velocity is ultimately low but the concentration of pollution is higher.
Conclusions and recommendations
This study will be helpful to plan a suitable planning strategy to reduce the daily havoc generated by the constant flux of traffic, for urban development and sustainability.
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1 Introduction
1.1 Urbanization and city planning
Modern development is characterized by rapid urbanization, which to a large extent negatively affects the quality of life, such as the health of the population [14, 20], water and soil quality [22, 35], food quality [27, 29] and the amount of waste [13] in the absence of proper controls. In urban planning and the real estate market in the world Mixed-use development became a center phase over the past few decades [34]. The vision towards the mixing land use is the pervasive constituent for activities to upgrade the built-up environment established under the notion of new urbanism, smart growth, or the compact city [10].
1.2 Smart cities
For smart growth of cities worldwide, a positive sign of growth is Mixed-used development [28] and [3], which is implemented as an essential planning strategy [39]. Cities containing commercial neighborhood that provides services and exhibit liveliness are considered functional urban components in a certain city in the known history [32] and [8]. Therefore, the values cities had mixed uses that created opportunities for their residents [9]. Mixed-use development in European countries is usually found in city planning in their land-use planning in contrast to the “USA” where zoning separates each land-use in a variety of ways [19] and [28]. For example, the mixed-use development in Saddar-Karachi is adopted for commercialization, institutional activities, and social gathering and co-exists with residential areas [43].
1.3 Mixed-use development in Gulshan-e-Iqbal
The Gulshan-e-Iqbal town is generally associated to the vertical mixed-use development, i.e., residential cum commercial activities along with other functional activities. Before the year 2011, Gulshan-e-Iqbal known as Gulshan Town Borough was established for residential purposes under Scheme 24 (A development scheme by the Local Government). According to this scheme, the vertical grouping of housing schemes is integrated where commercial areas are on the 1st floor while residential areas lie on their top/upper floors. In Gulshan-e-Iqbal commercial activities are mostly found on the ground floor while residential flats are on the above floors.
In Gulshan-e-Iqbal commercial activities are mostly found on the ground floor while residential flats are on the above floors. Such types of structures encountered a major issue, i.e., parking [9]. For residential cum commercial activities, proper planning of a car park is required [16]. The ideal structure for parking the car is large rectangular-shaped sites generally flat sites are more economical [1]. It has been investigated that the land-use classification on land-based standards, provides forceful tools for local land planning determinations [46] and [23]. Gulshan-e-Iqbal I is the area which is developed before all other areas of Gulshan-e-Iqbal. In the beginning, all areas within or surrounding were underdeveloped or vacant and the areas developed gradually so the residents' problems increased day by day with the intensity of built-up structures. There are many problems now Gulshan-e-Iqbal is facing e.g. traffic congestion, mobility issues arising due to the commercial activities within the residential areas, issues with parking facilities, etc. This study will not only help identify such problems but also confirm the said issues. The introduction of planning strategies e.g. Introduction of Parking facilities etc. will give Gulshan-e-Iqbal’s residents a better lifestyle once again.
The strategic objective of the study is to prove that mixed-use development is creating havoc in terms of traffic congestion. The following objectives have been designed for investigating the problem.
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i.
To conduct Object-based analyses on a very high-resolution image of the SAS planet for calculating the land-use land cover of Gulshan-e-Iqbal I.
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ii.
To identify issues causing Mobility.
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iii.
To apply an inductive approach (Resident Survey) to notice resident perception.
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iv.
To validate issues raised due to mixed-use development through Environmental Impact Analysis
2 Review of literature
In the world, urbanization is a major force to change physical, social, and economic changes worldwide [34], which directly and indirectly causes several changes on a large scale. In this scenario, the concept of mixed land use has been adopted to fill the gaps developed by residential vacancy and community decline [31]. In a healthy community, the concept of mixed land uses (MLU) is one of the most forceful tools and parameters of land use morphology and is considered a desirable model for building a livable and healthy community [23]. However, to achieve the goal of sustainable land use planning most of the countries in the developing world as still unable to adopt and practice this modeling in their regions, particularly in megacities [11].
Among the community of researchers, and land use managers, the mixed land use concept are disputed [33]. The reason behind this is the lack of urban planning and community restrictions in most particular regions in residential areas. This impact of disputation generates positive and negative effects including privacy concerns as negative effects and having a grocery store and market within 300 feet near to a settlement is considered a positive impact [40].
Mixed land use provides proximity and accessibility to local urban dwellers in terms of low usage of transportation, easy commenting, and walkable distance to neighborhood services like markets and platforms for cycling [6]. Because in the urban world proximity to neighborhood services is a fundamental part of sustainable urban planning and economic management [15, 44]. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the pattern of mixed land use while making decisions related to land management in urban areas [37]. In high-density areas, mixed land use and neighborhood amenities provide the best way to approach the surrounding facilities [42]. The people who live close to proximity with each other can better engage with social, and ethical values that will lead to improved quality of life [12].
The increase in population particularly in urban areas leads to many challenges in the world including congested urban road networks [12]. Along with this also cause traffic jams, resource depletion, and loss of biodiversity due to the conversion of natural areas into built-up [41]. These issues restrict sustainable urban development and regional sustainability [42]. For decades, even after “world war-II’ the scenarios of urban sprawl, population change, and migration pattern change very shape a very complex morphology of urban areas [15, 44]. This complex pattern results in an inadequate understanding of issues faced by the population and policy implementation. Therefore, for improving land management at a regional scale it is necessary to develop a land use model with mixed land use strategies not only in this area but even for the developing world to minimize the problems faced by the population due to urbanization.
Overall the concept of mixed land use is so striking and developed world is in favour of mixed use development. But the area like Karachi where city is developed with population rise urban planning strategies are always transforming to survival of the fittest strategy. Therefore this is the genuine problem of developing world. Other developing countries with rapidly growing populations, such as India, may face similar problems.
Unfortunately, the problem of multifunctional urban development with high population density is developing much faster than scientific research into the current problem and the development of solutions to reduce/eliminate it. To date, the authors of the current work have identified no research studies in this area that seek to achieve similar goals. However, the search was not limited to any criteria.
3 Methodology
The current research study has been done in the period of 15 September 2022 to 15 January 2023. The research is novel in nature and data acquired during 4 months of Gulshan-e-Iqbal I is primary. The results of the study and land-use surveying of the study area provide better planning opportunities and strategies for future land-use modeling to achieve the sustainable land development of the mega city of Pakistan along with the developing world.
Gulshan-e-Iqbal is located in the central location of Karachi (Fig. 1a). It is the largest area of Karachi where a large portion of the city population lives in flats and most of the road-facing flats are mixed-use developments [18]. The area coverage is about 94.76 km2 (Fig. 1). Gulshan-e-Iqbal comprises 14 subdivisions i.e., termed as union councils namely Gulshan-e-Iqbal I, Gulshan-e-Iqbal II, Pehelwan Goth, Safooran, Gulzar-e-Hijri, Metroville Colony, Dehli Mercantile Society, Civic Centre, PIB Colony, Essa Nagri, Jamali Colony, Geelani Railway Station, Shanti Nagar, and Faisal Cantonment.
3.1 Study plan
The research uses a methodological framework comprised of the following steps involved:
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the first step is the Object-based Analysis of the SAS planet image;
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the second phase of the study examines the Land-use Classification for Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis of land in the study area. This should contribute to clarify the ground reality and local issues faced by the population;
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on the third step, a pilot study to confirm the proposed objectives of the study were done;
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finally, Questionnaire-Based Survey was done by random sampling to achieve the target.
Object-based analyses have been conducted on a very high-resolution image of the SAS planet [45]. Objects are identified through controlled methods in a GIS environment [25]. In the study, the land use in the area was digitized and geo-coded through Google Earth and Google Maps later, this information is cross-checked through the ground truthing method of surveying. Land use that has been identified through object-based analysis is further classified into different classes as shown in (Table 1).
Detailed field surveys on the method of land-based surveying have been conducted on selected study areas. Surveyors have cross-checked the results of object-based analyses in the field (Table 2). Online Surveying techniques have been used for conducting questionnaire-based surveys, particularly with the residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
Interpolation and Extrapolation techniques have been used to analyze Environmental Data through ArcGIS software (Fig. 2). Along with driving forces also accessed. “UNI T UT338C air quality meter” for CO and CO2 detection, “Air Quality Detector Model JSM-131 SC”, “Voltage SV”, “Standard JJF10591-2012, JJG 1022–2016”, to record total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) pollution, “Air Quality Meter UNI-T UT338C Meter PM2.5 Air Quality Humidity Detector” to record fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air was used during surveyof study area.
4 Results
4.1 Land use land cover assessment
Gulshan-e-Iqbal encompasses 1,414,770 m2(1.414 km2) of area. Among that 545,136 m2 area is occupied by residential blocks, and Commercial area occupancy is 54,553 m2 (Fig. 3). Major roads include University Road, Allama Shabbir Ahmed Usmani Road, and Rashid Minhas Road while main Roads like Sardar Ali Sabri Road, Shahrah e Al Quds, Umraoo Tariq Road, and Lyari Expressway (LEW) are the silent roads serving the area. Two Flyovers e.g., at Nipa Chowrangi, and Gulshan Chorangi collective experience immense traffic flow which caused traffic jams and bottleneck issues most of the time. The concentration of commercial and residential cum commercial areas is also on the road facing, and even along the streets.
Two flyovers e.g., at Nipa Chowrangi, and Gulshan Chorangi collective experience immense traffic flow which caused traffic jams and bottleneck issues most of the time. The concentration of commercial and residential cum commercial areas is also on the road facing, and even along the streets. In the study area land-use occupied by Residential, Commercial, Mixed-use Development (Residential cum commercial), Educational institutions, Social (Welfare), Industry, Health, Leisure, Mass Assembly of People, Travel and movement (Exclude Major, Minor roads/street area), Natural Resources Based, Man-Made Green Infrastructure.
Approximately 47.6% (Table 3) of residents are living in Gulshan-e-Iqbal I (Fig. 4). While commercial land use is only 6% (Table 3) of land in combination with 7% (Table 3) of the land is the occupancy of Mixed-used development (Fig. 4) in which residential cum commercial flats.
4.2 Land use causing mobility issue
If commercial and mixed-use development combines its total will be 11%, and this percentage creates different issues for the residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal I facing the foremost issue of traffic congestion. The ground floors of the flats mostly comprise wholesale shops, food business-related shops, and automobile shops, filling the area with a congested population, especially in the evening timings/peak hours. Various educational institutions are located, including coaching centres, English Language Centres, Diploma Institutes and Academies, Schools, Colleges, Universities of Karachi, and Libraries also cause this congestion. Though the total coverage area of educational institutions is comparatively less (2% approx.) than residential blocks, its influence is tremendous, especially in institutional peak hours as well as also haste situations on the Travel and Movement land use including service roads and car parking.
The share of travelling pathways and movement in total land use in Gulshan-e-Iqbal I is 12% approx. In which the share of car parking and service roads are 8.3% and, 3.8% respectively.
Another land-use type also has an impact on Travel and Movement activities, i.e., Mass Assembly of People (MAP). In other the land use categories are Masjid (worship place), Madrassah (place of teaching Quran), Dargah, Khanqah Marriage Halls, and other gathering places. Collectively the coverage area of the MAP is 1.5% only, but its influence in terms of transit is also equivalent to educational institutions, commercial, and mixed-use development 6% coverage area of Leisure land-use type, comprises Sports-related (Playgrounds, etc.), Gyms, Parks, and Community Gardens. 10.24% of the land is under Man-Made Green Infrastructure. It shows recent planning strategies to reduce the carbon footprints of the study area. The whole Gulshan-e-Iqbal I land is almost completely used under different types of land uses except only 2 percent of the land is vacant which introduce in the current study as a natural resource that can be used for car parking in the future.
Collectively Commercial, Mixed-used Development, Industrial, Educational Institutions, Social/Welfare offices, Health-related Institutions, Government Offices, and Leisure, land-uses which are collectively involved in functional activity are subject to mobility crises.
The total percentage of these land uses is 2 \(3.8\%\cong\) 24%, which reflects the situation of the daily havoc of congested space created in Gulshan-e-Iqbal I (Fig. 5). It is evident from Fig. 5, these activities are distributed throughout all of the study areas which ultimately causes mobility issues.
Mobility issues create congestion problems. This issue becomes more vulnerable due to less car parking facilities. Figure 6, mentioned the areas where vehicles are parked. In Gulshan-e-Iqbal I the car parking facilities are only about 8.3% (Table 3) of land which is negligible as the region is frequently used for different purposes mentioned clearly in Fig. 5.
4.3 Resident perception
The questionnaire has been conducted to look into the ground realities of residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal. The survey was conducted through random sampling in the study area. A total of 159 respondents responded to the survey and results have been shown by using Fig. 6. Among them, 53% are male while 47% are female, 55.3% of respondents belong to the 20–25 years of age group. 29.6%, 25%, 5%, 15.1% and 28.9, living in Gulshan-e-Iqbal before Years 2000, 2000–2005,2005–2010, 2010–2015, 2020 and till now. Among them, 48% of residents live in 120 square yards of homes. 31.6% of people came to this area because of its appropriate system on the one hand, while 25.7% were attracted here because of its beauty and cleanness on the other hand. Now the respondents are facing many problems, among them major issues are parking due to commercial areas (24.2%), unavailability of clean water (25.5%), crime rates have risen (26.8%), and other social issues (street crime, etc.), (23.5%).
To meet the unavailability of tap water 31.6% used boring water, while 27% purchased tankers to fulfil their water needs. 41.4% of respondents did not have water issues and water availability is appropriate in the area. The tap water is not clean in the area for this reason 84.7% of people use mineral water and among the mineral water users, 81.7% got mineral water from their nearest water Reverse Osmosis (RO), Plant installed in the area. It is estimated that 65.4% of residents feel trouble due to commercial strips i.e., residential cum commercial buildings (mixed-use development), and the reasons are traffic jams (56.5%), high transit areas due to commercial strips (15.6%) while 27.9% still like the way the area is, and believe in living in the more convenient situation instead of any trouble.
There are different shops in residential cum commercial flats, mostly on the ground floor. Respondents were asked to remove any one type of commercial activity if they have the right to do so. They were also asked what shop it will be.
Responses are of great variety, but mostly believe:
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47.7% are in favour of the removal of auto shops (car mechanic shops)
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37.1% are in favour of removal of restaurants (food business-based shops), etc.
While the remaining 15.2% consider removing street hawkers, department stores like Chase or Imtiaz Mall (private shopping mall) have some specific days to open, public vehicles occupying unnecessary place affront of these commercial and residential cum commercial areas, etc. In addition to such problems, as this area is the residence of high-income groups 64.1% of residents are an owner of at least one car, 23.9% have two cars, and, 12% have more than two cars. Among them, 66.7% park their cars on streets in affront of their houses. This behavior negatively impacts the smooth traffic flow.
4.4 Traffic congestion and environmental impact analysis
Traffic congestion affects the Air Quality of the study area, but its impact on the overall environment can never be undervalued. Air Quality of study area has been done, in this regard PM 10 ppm, PM 1 ppm, PM 2.5, CO, CO2, and TVOC have been conducted for different timings. Wind Velocity has also been recorded for the same locations. As due to wind movement, the air quality of surrounding areas within the Megacity will also be affected. 18 locations have been selected (Appendix 1). Apart from Locations 8, 10, and 17, all locations are along the roads, or along the mixed-use development. In Table 4 there are 18 locations where the data have been recorded and through this recorded data interpolation techniques have been used to generate results.
PM10 ppm values are higher along the major roads and express ways, as locations 8 and 9 (Fig. 7-1) are along the LEW (Layari Express Way) than Location (LOC) 16 (Fig. 7-1) where a number of coaching centres and educational institutions are located have high concentrations of PM10 ranging from 281 to 296 ppm (Fig. 7-1).at LOC 5 (Gulshan Chowrangi) the concentration is 218 relatively lower than the previous location (LOC 16) even though both LOCs are on the same road. But at Gulshan Chowrangi the movement of vehicles is interrupted and relatively smoother than at LOC 16 (Fig. 7-1). Another method is also applied to identify the problem is expanding over a large area if we use the technique of extrapolation on recent data on the range of PM 10 affecting the large surroundings of Gulshan e Iqbal 1 (Fig. 7-2).
LOC 17 is the reading taken a front of Webex Zone, though the ground control point is not adjacent to the road network, and it is a central location residential block, but this is the region where there is a commercial lane Fig. 8. Along the Webex zone. Hence, the location is under a high mobility are the source of contamination of the environment and vice versa.
Figure 9-2 is showing a contagious loop of PM2.5 and their source points are LOCs 2, 17 and 5 and this pollutant containing loops extend beyond the limits of Gulshan e Iqbal I. two major roads University Road and Rashid Minhas Road the sources but as already explain the strong and concentrated loop of PM2.5 is not along the road but surrounds by residential region i.e., ranged from 249.1 to 261 ppm. According to Kausar et al., (2023) if the AQI ranges from 201 to 300 it means Air Pollution level is very unhealthy and cautionary statement is “not good for everyone”.
The overall Gulshan e Iqbal 1 is under the influence of PM1 pollution (Fig. 10). Therefore, it is clearly seen the contamination level of approximately whole area ranged from 153 to 248 ppm. The highest readings are found at LOC 8, 16, 15, 5, and 17 248 ppm, 236 ppm 230 ppm, 214 ppm and 202 respectively. While contagious pollution is spread over the extensive area of Gulshan e Iqbal 1. The whole area is under the influence of PM1 contamination.
Figures 11 and 12 are showing interpolation and extrapolation of the CO and CO2 concentration in the environment. The maximum emission of Carbon Mono Oxide is found at LOCs 3 and 10, LOC 10 was a front of a Bank and a front of this bank there is place of Car Parking as well. Overall, the remaining area is not highly commercialized but a Bank people used to visit at ATM and left cars and bikes with the engine on, therefore at this time half combustion process is continually going on. This half combustion is incomplete combustion and according to ScienceDirect [38] it is the general term which refers to carbon impurity and form due to incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon. LOCs 8 and 3 also showing the same manner. At LOC 8 there is a big superstore where there is a rush almost from every opening time till.
Closing time. It is one of the highly transportable zones. LOC 3 is at University Road, at this spot there is a way under the bridge from where vehicles are constantly slower down their speeds due to the road sharp bend. Therefore, once again, half combustion process has been taken place. Figure 11-2 is showing overall extent of CO spread.
Figure 12 is showing the vast spread of CO2 in the atmosphere but along the main roads and interjections. Overall, whole area is under the unfathomable stimulus of CO2 emission. This is the major evidence of a highly mobilized zone. The minimum reading of CO2 itself high reading, i.e., 342 ppm while the highest reading reached up to 800. It’s really a vulnerable reading. CO2 is included in Greenhouse gases and its higher levels in atmosphere may cause in temperature rise.
TVOC is the Total Volatile Organic Compounds is commonly found at the congested places where there is a more transport in the limited area (Fig. 13), the places comparatively less ventilated where winds got trapped. To validate the statement wind speed at different Locations of the same area have also been identified and by comparing both Figs. 13 and Fig. 14 where the wind is not present or very less here TVOC found more.
5 Suggestions and recommendations
Karachi, the biggest city in Pakistan, currently faces rapid urban expansion like the other megacities of developing countries [36]. Industrialization, caused this rapid change in land use and settlement patterns when the population from surrounding areas move towards the urban areas. It has previously been investigated that mixed land use patterns, contribute to the land development in thickly populated areas in the urban world [24]. However, this pattern needs more time to be adopted by the urban world in the least developing countries till the time. The rapid population growth rate creates challenges for urban managers, planners, and policymakers to provide facilities to the urban population [26]. To accommodate the population flux and fill the demands with the local population, the concept of mixed land use is considered a fundamental need of Gulshan-e-Iqbal I as a congested area of the city.
Mixed land use is considered as proximity to neighbourhood services and pedestrian-friendly in the concept of neighbourhood services in dense urban networks [17] and [7]. It is considered a versatile feature of the urban world for the advancement of the city [30]. This concept is the combination of social, economic, ecological, and real estate factors for sustainable urban development and economic diversity [4]. The results show that the area still needs more mixed land use pattern that should be adopted by every individual in the area to minimize the problems daily faced by the local community, including traffic jam and population conjunction. The government should take stick action to drive policy for new urban built-up to design their infrastructure for mixed land use strategies.
For developing countries, the concept of mixed land use is a fundamental need for sustainable urban planning, especially in congested urban networks [5]. As it provides social, economic, and political services in an accessible approach. The idea of mixed land use is a coping strategy to solve land management issues [48], including inefficient utilization of resources, unordered expansion, and the decay of old cities [47] and [21]. Despite the growing concept of mixed land use in land use management, this idea still needs more in-depth research with theoretical and practical background [2] and [15, 44]. It is concluded that city planners should adopt the policy of mixed land use to overcome the issues created by congested urban networks to gain sustainable urban development.
Gulshan e Iqbal 1 is the model example of congestion. The area is over all residence of high-income group but due to its early development the mixed-use development not appropriately handled. Therefore, there is a dire need to cop up with the issue. Similar situations arise in many cities around the world, which require an immediate response from decision makers in the field of infrastructure and the environment.
Green spaces cope well with air pollution and also have a beneficial effect on people’s psyche, which helps reduce stress due to the external pressure of uncomfortable infrastructure and avoid depression. Therefore, the most rational way is to introduce Greenways. In addition to this, greening of roofs and terraces should be encouraged and promoted.
6 Conclusions
Gulshan-e-Iqbal I is a congested area with high mobility and a dense region of concrete buildings. Main roads facing blocks have residential cum commercial, commercial, educational, and health-related infrastructure, which causes high mobility most of the daytime and late at night during peak hours. Approximately 24% area is involved in functional activities, but due to fewer parking facilities, this area is facing traffic congestion and frequent bottlenecks around. 47.6% area is occupied for residential purposes. The mixed-use neighbourhood did not have sufficient parking lots/ car parking/parking spaces. Overall, study areas have 8.3% parking spaces. Together, Commercial, Mixed-used Development, Industrial, Educational Institutions, Social/Welfare offices, Health-related Institutions, Government Offices, and Leisure have a daily flux of people. Residents’ perceptions regarding mobility issues have similar dimensions as investigated through the land-based surveying and i.e., commercial strips/ mixed-use development causing trouble (65.4%) along with traffic jams (56.5%), and high transit situation due to mixed-use development (15.6%).
To alleviate the problems of the Gulshan-e-Iqbal I the prime suggestion is to improve the land-use structure of the study area. The only solution is for buildings with mixed-use development to introduce car parking facilities on the upper floors. Educational institutes introduce parking spaces within their premises or develop infrastructure that introduces parking spaces. Unauthorized stalls and sitting places a front of restaurants/tea houses should be removed or incorporated properly. Main roads also have heavy traffic flow, the government should take responsibility for traffic jams on the main roads or introduce service roads where it can be possible to maintain.
PM10 ppm values are higher along major roads and expressways. PM10 ranges from 281 to 296 ppm along the institutional buildings. It reflects these areas are the busiest spots for automobiles.
Megacities and other densely populated developing countries are likely to face similar problems. However, literary analysis did not reveal publications aimed at studying this problem, and therefore, there is no way to identify commonality or differences in approaches to solving it in other cities. We hope that the current study will stimulate similar research in other countries to further jointly develop actions aimed at ensuring the comfort of the population and reducing negative environmental consequences.
Data availability
Data sets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. The land use land cover data is available from surveys conducted, but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, but all data will be provided if required.
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All funding is done by Dr. Anila Kausar’s research Lab. The authors declare they have no financial interests.
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“Conceptualization [AK], [MMA], [SV]; methodology [MMA], [AA], [VV]; software [AA], [MMA], [HS]; validation [HS], [AK], [AA]; formal analysis [NAK], [AA]; investigation [AA], [MMA]; resources [SZ]; data curation [SZ], [OIK], [FE], [RM]; writing original draft preparation [SP], [VT], [HS]; writing review and editing [VV], [HS], [SV]; visualization [HS], [VV]; supervision [MMA], [SV]; project administration [MMA]; funding acquisition [HS], [MMA]. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.”
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Kausar, A., Zubair, S., Sohail, H. et al. Evaluating the challenges and impacts of mixed-use neighborhoods on urban planning: an empirical study of a megacity, Karachi, Pakistan. Discov Sustain 5, 24 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00195-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00195-5