Urban growth in Pakistan is accelerating rapidly over the past few decades resulting in transforming cities into major centers of economic activity while also creating serious sustainability challenges. Large cities of Pakistan such as Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Faisalabad attract people from rural areas seeking for better employment, education and living standards.
However, this unplanned and rapid growth of population results in rapid urbanization. Creating high pressure on urban infrastructure, environment and the social system as well. Dharampura, is one of the areas of Lahore which gets affected by this. It serves as a strong example of how urban growth, urbanization and sustainability challenges intersect.
Dharampura has been enjoying a continuous increase in population as a result of rural urban migration. Consequently, there is a rise in the demand of living needs as clean water, electricity, housing, transport, waste management and affordable housing.
Regrettably, the pace of development in infrastructure has not been as high. This unequal distribution has led to a number of problems such as congestion, overloading sewerage networks, and deterioration in the quality of services. Small streets and mixed use also make movement and service provision in the locality even more complex.
One of the most apparent environmental effects of the fast urbanization in Dharampura is environmental degradation. An increase in the number of vehicles in the roads has resulted in congestion, increased fuel consumption, and the deterioration of air quality that also has brought about health care problems.
Commercial activity and the absence of green spaces have also contributed to rising temperatures and reducing the air circulation. Additionally, the replacement of open land or green spaces as parks, with concrete structures like flats and factories has reduced the ability of soil to absorb rainwater, causing waterlogging after heavy rainfall and increasing the risk of urban flooding.
Urban poverty further intensifies sustainability challenges in Dharampura. Many low-income families live in informal settlements where access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation, and healthcare facilities is limited and this causes serious health issues like diarrhea, dengue, malaria and other health issues.
Aging water pipelines and poorly maintained sewerage systems increase the likelihood of water contamination, exposing residents to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and skin infections. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable, making public health a critical concern linked directly to unsustainable urban conditions.
Efforts to improve environmental management in Dharampura fall under city-wide initiatives led by institutions such as the Urban Unit. These initiatives aim to improve solid waste collection, reduce illegal dumping, and enhance overall cleanliness.
The frequent trash pick-up has made the situation in places better and the streets can be seen as cleaner than they were before. Nonetheless, the long-term sustainability is not high because the segregation of the waste is not performed at domestic and business levels, there is no enough recycling facilities and community engagement is low.
Sustainable city development requires extensive planning and holistic governing. The practice of sustainability has been compromised at Dharampura where coordination between the environmental and municipal and planning departments is poor.
Vital measures that should be undertaken include the improvement of land-use planning, improvement of drainage systems, implementation of environmental laws and growth in the green spaces. The carbon emission and air pollution can be also mitigated by promoting the use of the mass transportation and discouraging the excessive usage of personal vehicles.
Engagement of the community is also significant. The environmental responsibility, water conservation, and waste segregation awareness campaigns can make the residents active participants in the sustainability process. Inclusion of the local communities in decision making facilitates better and effective policies that are in line with realities on the ground.
Dharampura has been experiencing problems that indicate more problems of urban growth in Pakistan. Though cities stimulate economic growth, their unregulated growth poses threats to quality of the environment, health of the population and social justice.
The sustainable city development should be able to reconcile between the growth and the environment and social inclusion. The experience of Dharampura underscores the necessity to plan long term, have good institutions and act in concert to make sure that today urban development does not undermine the quality of life of future generations.
