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Introduction
1-
Stage 1 ( Data
Collection )
2-
Stage 2
( Evaluation of the data and forecasting )
3-
Stage 3
( Preparation of alternatives and their evaluation )
4-
Stage 4
( Detailed planning of the old city and shrines area )
5-
Stage 5
( Final urban design and writing the strategies to be adopted by
local authorities )
Introduction
In 21/12/2006 the International Centre for Technical Research
signed an agreement to Renew the Master Plan of Holy Karbala and Hur,
in order to update the current master plan in order to facilitate
its progress until 2030. ICTR should set up strategies through which
city authorities could overcome the problems facing the city and it
should give solutions for interrelated and contradictory situations.
The existing Master Plan is laid down in 1990. Although it is only
16 years passed from that date, but there have been major changes in
people’s social and economic situation. Governing system has changed
from central dictatorship one to a democratic government based on
constitution. Moreover, the concepts of urban planning have evolved
quite a lot recently. This meant that a fresh look was needed for
all cities of Iraq including the holy city of Karbala. The process
of renewal of Master Plans had to look at new social and economical
situations in line with the new constitution, as well as addressing
the advancement of technological achievements and demographical
changes in the country.
The holy city of Karbala is different from any other city in that it
has two forms (morphologies). On one hand it is a medium size newly
developed city that should be treated as any other city in Iraq. In
fact it enjoys from quite a lot of potentials that should be
addressed. But what the city is famous for is the religious aspect
of it. The old city, or city centre, is holding Shrines of Imam
Hussain (the grandson of the holy Prophet of Islam) and his step
brother Abbas. It is worth mentioning that the number of pilgrims
who come to this city fall fourth after Makkah, Madinah (both in
Saudi Arabia), and Mashhad (in Iran). Therefore, we divided the
planning process of this city in two parallel lines:
The first one looks at the new city that has less than 30 years old.
This part can be considered as a trading city. It has direct roads
to 3 neighboring countries and good access to 2 more. It can easily
become a hub of trade in the whole of Iraq. The second one is
clearly a religious city. We can consider them to be two cities
adjacent to each other that have a lot of interfering effects on
each other. A renewal of Master Plan should address both needs of
the medium size modern city as well as a very important religious
and touristic city that attracts around 20 million people a year.
There are 4 major occasions that attracts this number of people.
These are Arbaeen, Half of Shah’ban, Ashura, and Arafah; as well as
Thursday nights (weekend).
The purpose of this study and planning is to make Karbala a city
equal to any advanced city in the world and at the same time address
all the needs of huge number of pilgrims by giving them easy access
to the Shrines from the time they arrive on the border of the study
area and provide them all the amenities, facilities, and markets
they need.
The town of Hur was separate from Karbala and has different
authorities and municipality. That is why the title of the Tender
includes both cities of Karbala and Hur. However, since Hur is
connected to Karbala and has become part of it nowadays, for
simplicity, we refer to both cities as Karbala and by this we mean
Karbala & Hur.
In order to achieve the required planning, ICTR had to co-operate
with the planning department and directorate of the MMPW, all local
authorities, and civil society activists in accordance with the
following stages of the work:
Stage 1 ( Data Collection and Surveys )
The most crucial thing in any planning is to have the right data.
Preparation of Master Plan is not an exception. The major source of
information for town planners is the census. The last census was
carried out in 1997. The next one was due in 2007, but considering
the current circumstances of the country, it is more likely that
this will be postponed. However, the difficulty is direr than even
that. Local authorities do not have right information (drawings) on
the infrastructure or almost anything else. The previous regime did
not leave enough information in the hands of the local authorities.
Things as simple as map of the city were not available, let alone
water supply or sewage network drawings.
As a result, in the lack of census information, we had to take the
second approach available to planners: sampling data. We had to have
information on the socio-economy of the people in Karbala and this
was done by sampling houses and get information from their
occupants. Furthermore, we needed to have information on market
areas, warehouses, trading places, factories, healthcare, education,
environment, transport, and public buildings. All these were
gathered during this stage and in this report we have laid down
details of what we have obtained so far.
Stage 2 (
Evaluation of the data and forecasting )
In this stage, we will have a look at all information gathered in
the previous stage in order to understand the current situation, its
advantages and disadvantages, its potentials and shortcomings; what
is lacking in the city and what people have said that they want from
the city.
We have based our work on GIS as it should be in any modern
approach to planning. Not only GIS gives us the ability to visualise
the situation much better than charts and tables, it can help us in
the forecasting as well. As it is mentioned in CASA book of GIS, in
the lack of census information we have to rely on sampling data and
then convert them to polygons with relevant information tagged to
it. Then we can use tools such as What if? Software to produce
different scenarios based on the little information we have but all
sort of situations that we might guess may happen.
Moreover, this stage includes two studies of regional and
infrastructure study of the city. During this period, we will
contact civil society activists of what we have reached so far and
consult them on possible routes that we are taking. This would be
the second round of consultation with these groups and the third one
will be in the third and fourth stages because the subject of
discussions in the third stage is different from that of the fourth.
Stage 3 (
Preparation of alternatives and their evaluation )
The urban design takes place at this stage. At least three
alternative solutions with different criteria will be designed. Each
takes in consideration 5 year design period until the target year of
2030. In order to achieve this, we have to consult our international
and local consultants so that not only international standards are
achieved as much as possible, but more importantly the solution is
appropriate and hence sustainable.
When these designs are ready, we will present them in international
conferences to be held for this purpose. This is because we believe
that the holy city of Karbala not only has regional effects but its
importance is international. In this way, we will be able to modify
the design according to diverse views of technological west and
cultural east and local needs.
The third round of consultations with local authorities, religious
circles, civil societies, and public meetings and presentations take
place at this time. The aim of this round of consultation is to put
these people in picture and get their response to different
alternatives.
Then, we submit the three alternatives alongside a report laying
down the pros and cons of each one to the planning directorate of
MMPW so that they can come up with selection of the best. This final
design will be the subject of detailed urban design to be carried
out in the fifth stage.
Stage 4 ( Detailed
planning of the old city and shrines area )
The city of Karbala was created after a religious event. People
came to Karbala as a pilgrim for hundreds of years. And even today,
Karbala is linked to Shia theology firmly. Therefore, this aspect of
the city is so important that it had to be addressed quite
separately and hence comes the Stage 4. Moreover, the old part of
the city has its own problems and characteristics that should be
treated cautiously.
Although we have sampled the old city almost twice the number of
sampling rate of other districts of Karbala, nevertheless, due to
importance of this part and the need for its total renovation, we
are envisaging to have total information on its residents, hotels,
shopping units, spaces, facilities, religious buildings, and so on.
Moreover, more detailed statistics is needed on the number of people
visiting shrines in the major events of Arbaeen, half of Sha’aban,
Ashura, and on the weekends. Special facilities should be provided
for the accommodation, food supply, transportation, public
amenities, healthcare, and so on for these huge number of pilgrims.
At the same time, it is possible to utilise this attraction to make
it sustainable economically by giving them proper touristy
solutions.
It is worth mentioning that we have already prepared the statistics
of the number of pilgrims in Ashura, and Arbaeen. These details are
given in their respective parts in this report.
Stage 5 ( Final urban
design and writing the strategies to be adopted by local authorities
)
Once the final design is approved by the general directorate of
MMPW, ICTR will use both offices in London and Karbala to prepare
detailed planning, strategic, and architectural aspects of five
yearly plans until 2030.
In addition to the above, there are some specific problems and
shortcomings that need to be addressed too. Therefore, the list of
things to be done at this stage is as follows:
• Future
land use.
•
Detailed architectural drawings for the old city.
• Outline
plan and recommendations for the transport system within the city.
• Future
policies for social development and public management in the city.
• Modern
strategies for contemporary housing in Karbala.
• Steps
to be taken toward improvement of the infrastructure systems and
networks in the city.
•
Policies to protect old cultural buildings.
• Open
spaces, parks, and green area strategies.
•
Strategies to protect gardens, farmlands, and agricultural lands.
•
Evaluation and provision of solutions for the problem of illegal
dwellers.
• Setting
policies to unify facades of buildings in the area of the holy
Shrines.
• Full
study of tourist attractions for the city and surroundings.
• Study
the problem of sub-ground water (water table) and ways to solve it.
• Study
of the investment opportunities in the city.
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