Seminar held on Master Plan to develop Tando Adam as model city

Sanghar (Hasnain Ashiq Saand) A seminar was organised at the Shah Abdul Latif Municipal Library to review the proposed Master Plan aimed at developing Tando Adam into a model city.

The seminar was arranged by the Sindh government’s Planning and Development Department in collaboration with the Urban Regional Policy and Strategic Planning Wing. Participants discussed the city’s future development direction and reviewed recommendations and proposals submitted by stakeholders during previous consultative meetings.

The objective of the seminar was to bring together key stakeholders and obtain local input for a long-term and sustainable urban development strategy for Tando Adam.

Addressing the gathering, Deputy Director Urban Regional Policy Zulfiqar Ali Kunbhar, Deputy Director Nabeesh Akhtar Memon, Assistant Director Ali Murad Abro and consultant Syed Babar Ali Shah briefed participants on various aspects of the Master Plan. They emphasised that meaningful public participation at the local level was essential to ensure the plan addressed the city’s real needs.

MNA Salahuddin Junejo said the Sindh government’s initiative to launch mega development projects and establish model cities was a positive and practical step. He urged citizens to actively participate in the planning process by sharing their suggestions, adding that the Master Plan would serve as a comprehensive roadmap for resolving long-standing urban issues and ensuring sustainable development.

Representatives of AE Consulting and the Planning Department said the Tando Adam Master Plan was part of a provincial initiative launched in 2013 for major cities of Sindh. They said Master Plans for 17 cities had been completed so far, while work on Tando Adam, Kotri, Hala, Moro and 14 other cities was under way in the third phase. They added that the plan was being developed with a 20-year perspective, focusing on health, education, water supply, sanitation, transport, green belts and other essential urban services.

Assistant Commissioner Hunain Tariq Shahani highlighted the need for systematic urban planning in view of the city’s rapidly growing population, warning that lack of timely planning could put severe pressure on resources and infrastructure. He urged stakeholders to contribute their local knowledge and proposals.

The seminar was attended by DSP Tando Adam Mukhtiar Memon, TMO Abdul Hameed Malik, MS Taluka Hospital Dr Syed Fazal Mehmood Shah, Mukhtiarkar Tando Adam Imam Din Lark, APP Senior Reporter Ashiq Hussain Saand, Taluka Education Officer Mukhtiar Ali Umrani, SDO Education Works Muhammad Ramzan Saand, Engineer Ghulam Nabi Memon, Muazzam Ali (NHA), PTCL’s Wahid Ahmed Sheikh, Agriculture Officer Syed Faheem Ali Shah, Dr Muhammad Farooq Arain, Anjum Kamran’s Iqbal Bhatti, Habib Bhalm, Rais Zahid Ali Umrani, along with political representatives, senior government officials, planning consultants and representatives of various government departments and civic institutions.

A question-and-answer session was also held during the seminar, during which participants shared suggestions on various aspects of urban development.