The simple fact is that the great men who envisioned the city of Karachi for the future had decided upon such a master plan that the boulevards and main arteries of the city are used by a large amount of traffic till this day and still have the ability to sustain this traffic, even if under severe congestion.

The foundation pillars of the elevated tracks will rest on these boulevards. Rising 15.12m from the ground level they will run

neck to neck with the buildings that were at one time, the heart and soul of the administrative district of Karachi belonging to the British Raj. These buildings include the KMC Head Office, the City Courts, Quaid-e-Azam’s Mausoleum, Memon Masjid, Karachi Port Trust Building, Mereweather Tower, Dinshaw Hall and others to name just a few. The elevated tracks will not only bock the view of these buildings but quite a few of these would need to be demolished in order to make way for the platforms and stations etc. As it has already been mentioned, the congestion that will be caused on the ground level due to the space been taken up by the foundation pillars will further degrade the environment in the process.

It is true that many question the use of these old and derelict buildings. The problem is that in a society in which we live, we are too busy to notice, enjoy and admire the finer things that life has to offer. Indeed, these buildings do not serve much purpose than simple real estate to many in the old part of town; nonetheless they also have a non-functional use which only few may notice.

It is said that your past has already foreseen your future and this is also true for a town, a nation or its people. These priceless treasures speak about our past and foresee our future. They are a testament to the glorious past that this city has witnessed. Again, come may argue that this past is only what glorifies the British Raj, but as much as we resent and deny this phase of our history, we can never erase it from our past. Even otherwise, if we look at it from another angle, these architectural masterpieces speak of the craftsmanship that men of this great nation had to offer, of the varieties of stone that were available at one time and last but not the least, they are a testament to the fact that "man is born to create".

Of-course, nations that have been proud of their economic growth over the last few years have regretted the architectural deprivation that came with this growth. Fly-overs, soul-less concrete and glass skyscrapers have taken precedence over the Victorian and Edwardian buildings that made up former British Colonies like Singapore and Hong Kong. Infact, even economically deprived nations like Vietnam who have only recently witnessed an upward trend in their economic activity are now preserving the heritage of the once detested French colonist who left them in shambles.

In the process of this modernization and advancement, the advantages and disadvantages should be evaluated in order to come up to a suitable conclusion as to what are the options available and what caution needs to be exercised.

 ILLUSTRATION II: Mereweather Tower; At the entrance to the Port Of Karachi made in honor of the Governor of the Province of Sindh and the Bombay Presidency, Sir George Mereweather as a gift from the people of Sindh for his generosity and Administrative acumen.