Remembering The Late Sheikh Abdur Rasheed

With Sheikh Abdur Rasheed’s passing on Thursday 21st January 2021, the Town Planning profession lost one of its most talented, respected, and beloved members. He spent an extensive part of his life working for the betterment of the profession, fashioning new ways to strengthen the profession, and depicting the importance of urban planning as a top part of the country’s social and communal fabric. He was one of the first urban planners of Pakistan. He laid the groundwork for future generations to follow in his footsteps.Born in 1936, Sheikh Rasheed completed his M.A. in Sociology from Punjab University in 1961 and his MSc. in Town Planning from UET Lahore in 1965. He further did a post-graduate diploma in Planning Housing and Building from the Netherlands in 1970. Being one of the first urban planners in the country with a sociology specialization made him more perceptive, receptive, and open towards the country’s urban social and development problems. He was one of the first planners that showed that urban planning is not just another field of study. Still, it is intricately plaited into the overall structure of society. It is related to every other discipline such as economics, sociology, engineering and politics. With every experience, he became more knowledgeable and, in due course, became a sea of wisdom and learning for every coming generation of urban planners. His accolades and honours included international certifications, Vice Chairman Town Planning PCAPT, President IPP, visiting professor at UET, assignments in the U.K., USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and numerous conferences seminars. Sheikh Rasheed’s diverse experience working with national and international donor agencies on mega-projects of Master Planning and Land Development schemes established him as an outstanding Town Planning profession member. In 2011, the Prime Minister of Pakistan awarded him a Gold Medal for his policy paper on Urban Development, focusing on housing. His seasoned career included being a planner under the Ministry of Municipal & Rural Affairs Saudi Arabia and Director-General twice for the Punjab and Lahore Development Authority. After his retirement in 1996, Sheikh Rasheed joined MM Pakistan. He spent 25 years of his career flourishing as a Team Leader, Co-coordinator, Planning Advisor, and Sector Head on various assignments. His dedication and enthusiasm in his roles were highly motivational for young and old. His participation brought another level of professional excellence to MMP’s Urban & Infrastructure Sector. As with all of his ventures, he leaves behind a legacy of being the pioneer of developing Master Planning within MMP.He worked on projects of much significance in every province of the country. As Director-General of LDA, he guided the early planning and development process of the metropolis. As an executive member of the planning and development board, he improved and streamlined the entire province’s planning and development process. He was one of the members who reviewed the existing master plan of Islamabad under the request of CDA. In addition to all these major social and policy-related works, he has multiple stars on his shoulders for working as a principal planner and as a sociologist for various urban and rural housing projects, master plans of international cities, water and transport-related projects.Sheikh Abdur Rasheed will be remembered as an exceptional Townplanner and an extraordinary human being by students, colleagues and the country’s Town Planners. May Allah grant him the highest place in Jannat.

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March 22, 2021 No Comments

LDA reforms have led to Ease of Doing Business in Lahore

LDA reforms have led to Ease of Doing Business in Lahore. Under its Vice Chairman, S.M. Imran, LDA revised building and zoning regulations-2019 to promote vertical development and curtail abnormal horizontal sprawl. The fundamental motivation behind these reforms is to shape-up Lahore in a direction that the city can offer better life and livelihood opportunities to entire inhabitants. The reform agenda proposed various amendments in building bylaws to promote multi-story residential apartments and commercial plazas. The Chief Town Planner, LDA led this whole trial and segregated high-rise buildings into six broad categories depending on building height, namely low rise, medium-rise 1, medium-rise 2, high rise 1, high rise 2 and skyscraper category. The new building bylaws allow multi-story buildings on plots as small as 10 Marla – comparably, the minimum area required for tall buildings was four Kanals in the previous bylaws. Similarly, changes have been made in height restrictions on 10 Marla plots residing next to a 30-feet wide road by changing the limit to 50 feet from 38 feet. The authority has made similar changes in various categories, such as for 1- Kanal plot, the height limit is now 90 feet, 2-Kanals 120 feet, 4- Kanal 200 feet, and 8-Kanals to 12 Kanals up to 300 feet. For the category of a skyscraper, the plot requirement is more than 12- Kanals, and it has no height restriction, but the developer will have to get a NOC from the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan to move forward with the development. Besides, to encourage vertical development and controlling haphazard horizontal expansion in the district, the authority under the guidance of DG LDA and V.C. Chairman LDA Mr S.M Imran has also revised its procedural rules regulations to fashion ease of doing business in Lahore. Out of the several changes made in the procedural rules, the following are worth discussing. The first reform is that plans will be sanctioned after submission of documents (Clause 10.4.1.), which states that after submission of documents to the concerned agencies, the building plan may be issued provided other conditions under the building regulations are fulfilled. The second reform is relief in the release of plans in phases (Clause 10.4.1 (f)), in which the authority has allowed the developer, in case of a multi-story building, that during the processing of a claim for release of the subsequent floor plan above plinth level, to continue the construction up to ground floor at his own risk and cost but strictly following plan under process for release. The third reform is the validity of the sanction plan (Clause 10.7.1), for plot size up to 2-Kanal and for plot above 2-Kanal, the maximum period has been increased to 5 years. The fourth reform is that for non-hazardous warehouses, the requirement of NOC from EPA will not be applicable anymore (Clause 10.4.1). The Fifth reform is quick and early approval of building plans. In the case of building plans of residential plots, approval will be given within 21 days in approved schemes and 30 days in the controlled areas, while in the case of the commercial building, plans will be approved within 30 days. One crucial point here is that if the plans are not sanctioned within the prescribed time, the owner can start and raise construction at the site after payment of scrutiny fee and a penalty for deviations (if applicable) and submission of an affidavit that the construction will be raised as per submitted building plans (Clause 10.13). In case of all the other buildings such as Apartment, Public building, multi-story building and industrial, building plans are to be approved within 45 days. If the plans are not sanctioned within 60 days, the owner can start and raise construction at the site after payment of scrutiny and submission of relevant documents for firefighting, structure drawings, traffic impact assessment reports, etc. The sixth reform deals with implementing an insurance policy for multi-story buildings to save the developer from any future incident and harm. The authority has ensured that the owner will provide insurance for the building from a registered Insurance Company at the time of issuance of the completion certificate (Clause 10.9.3 (d)). The authority has constituted a Grievance Committee to recommend the cases involving non-compoundable building violations (mentioned in Clause 10.11.1) for regularization up to max 10% of the total covered area as well as other such matters owing to destitution subject to payment of fee and fines on the production of relevant NOC from Rescue 1122, Civil Defence and certificate from professional PEC registered Structural Engineer. The authority has also allowed construction in phases (Clause 10.8.3(1)), which states that if the developer intends to construct the building in multiple phases, the plan or drawing provided for approval must have construction in phases duly numbered. What is more is that if the building comprises of more than one block, the owner may plump for development in the form of the first block (as up to plinth level, 38ft and above), the second block (as up to plinth level, 38ft and above), and so on bound by validity of building period/sanctioned plan. These regulations and many others will allow new developers and entrepreneurs to get their projects developed quickly without any hassle. Under these new regulations, all government agencies and other departments are bound to decide on the issuance of no-objection certificates within 15 days. This improvement in the plan approval process, issuance of NOCs, and completion certificates will bring more investors into the city and transform the city into a high-rise modern provincial capital rather than an uncontrolled, constantly expanding megapolis.

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March 20, 2021 No Comments

The villages of Islamabad

کریڈٹ ۔عابد علی اسلام آباد میں 85 دیہات شامل تھے جو اسلام آباد کی تعمیر سے متاثر ہوئے۔ جن میں تقریباً 50 ہزار افراد آباد تھے۔شکر پڑیاں بھی ان میں سے ایک گاؤں تھا یہاں دو سو سے زائد گھر تھے جو بالکل اس جگہ پر تھے جہاں آج لوک ورثہ موجود ہے۔ لوک ورثہ کے پیچھے پہاڑی پر اس گاؤں کے آثار آج بھی جنگل میں بکھرے پڑے ہیں۔ 85 دیہات کی 45 ہزار ایکٹر زمین جب سی ڈی اے نے حاصل کی تو متاثرین میں اس وقت 16 کروڑ روپے تقسیم کیے گئے جبکہ انہیں ملتان، ساہیوال، وہاڑی، جھنگ اور سندھ کے گدو بیراج میں کاشت کے لیے 90 ہزار ایکڑ زمین بھی الاٹ کی گئی جس کے لیے 36 ہزار پرمٹ جاری کیے گئے۔ان میں جو بڑے گاؤں تھے ان میں کٹاریاں بھی شامل تھاجو موجودہ شاہراہ ِ دستور اور وزارت خارجہ کی جگہ آباد تھا۔ شکر پڑیاں لوک ورثہ کی جگہ، بیسٹ ویسٹرن ہوٹل کے عقب میں سنبل کورک مری روڈ پر سی ڈی اے فارم ہاؤسز کی جگہ گھج ریوٹ. جی سکس میں بیچو, ای سیون میں ڈھوک جیون ایف سکس میں بانیاں, جناح سپر میں روپڑاں جی 10 میں ٹھٹھہ گوجراں, آئی ایٹ میں سنبل جاوہ نڑالہ اور نڑالہ کلاں. ایچ ایٹ میں جابو زیرو پوائنٹ میں پتن, میریٹ ہوٹل کی جگہ پہالاں ایچ ٹین میں بھیگا سیداں, کنونشن سینٹر کی جگہ بھانگڑی, آبپارہ کی جگہ باغ کلاں اسی طرح راول ڈیم کی جگہ راول، پھگڑیل، شکراہ، کماگری، کھڑ پن اور مچھریالاں نامی گاؤں بستے تھے۔ فیصل مسجد کی جگہ ٹیمبا اور اس کے پیچھے پہاڑی پر کلنجر نام کی بستی تھی۔ شکر پڑیاں میں گکھڑوں کی بگیال شاخ کے لوگ آباد تھے جنہیں ملک بوگا کی اولاد بتایا جاتا ہے۔ گکھڑوں نے پوٹھوہار پر ساڑھے سات سو سال حکمرانی کی ہے۔ راولپنڈی کے گزٹیئر 1884 کے مطابق ضلع راولپنڈی کے 109 دیہات کے مالک گوجر اور 62 گکھڑوں کی ملکیت تھے۔

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March 18, 2021 No Comments

Subqtullah Rashdi

Subqtullah Rashdi is one of the few freedom heroes of South Asia who had chosen the path of militancy as a tool to fight against the invader, the colonial power in United India and win freedom rather than carrying a struggle as per the line adopted by Gandhi. He is many times different from other such heroes who had chosen the same path such as Bhagat Singh and others. Behind him were his disciples who were more than a million, women, men and children who joined him in his call. He was martyred this day in 1943 before dawn by hanging till death. His body was not given to his heirs. His two teenage sons were taken into custody and sent to exile to London, monitored and governed by the British rulers. Still, his grave is unlocated. The most important of all is that hundreds went to gallows in following his path. The entire hur families were sent to jails, their free movements were curtailed. He was 32 years old when he went to gallows at Hyderabad Jail. Col Kargil was a British officer who executed his death. That last night of Soreh Badshah is narrated by Kargil. Pagra played chess with him, Pagara defeated Kargil in chess. Time was nearing to execute his death, Pagara offered Namaz and with full confidence and courage, he went to gallows.He lived in his early life in jails of Bengal, where he was inspired by Subash Chander Bose and his doctrine winning freedom. His slogan for his movement was وطن یا کفن۔ Jinnah was his lawyer. His trial was a mockery of free and fair trial even by the standards of those times. British rulers brought first-time martial law in some part of Sindh to crush his movement. British empire brought Hur Act, in law Hurs were treated as prone to do the crime. How this militancy had brought these into ashes, is a great ordeal in itself. It was also a freedom movement fought by women. When Air Marshall Asghar Khan, who was a pilot at that time serving in the Indian Air force, was ordered to take the plane and make aireal firing upon their located movement. Asghar Khan came back without executing orders because there was a movement of women and children riding on carts. They were not militants. Asghar Khan was court-martialed.It is a long tale, needs a thousand pages to write down this ordeal and the commitment of this hero for the motherland.

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March 17, 2021 No Comments

Mushtaq Ahmed Yusufi

بشکریہ پیج :مشتاق احمد یوسفی یہ کھنڈر ضلع جلہم کے شہر پنڈ دادنخان میں واقع ہیں۔ یہ کوئی عام کھنڈر نہیں یہ دسویں صدی کے مشہور سائینسدان ابوریحانالبیرونی کی لیبارٹری ہے، جس میں انھوں نے ان پہاڑوں کی چوٹیوں کا استعمال کر کے زمین کی کل پیمائش کا صحیح اندازہ لگایا البیرونی کے مطابق زمین کا قطر 3928.77 تھا جبکہ موجودہ ناسا کی جدید کیلکولیشن کے مطابق 3847.80 ھے یعنی محض81 کلومیٹر کا فرق البہرونی نے ڈھائی سو سے زیادہ کتابیں لکھیں، وہ محمود غزنوی کے دربار سے منسلک تھے، افغان لشکر کے ساتھ کلرکہار آئے، افغانوں نے البیرونی کے ڈیزائن پر انکو یہ لیبارٹی بنا کر دی، اب سوچنے کی بات یہ ہے کہ ہم اپنے ورثہ کی کیسے قدر کرتے ہیں، اس میں ماسوائے چند بکریاں چرانے والوں کے علاوہ کوئی نہیں جاتا، اگر اس کا خیال نہیں رکھا گیا تو بہت ہی جلد ہم اس عجوبہ سے محروم ہوجائینگے، اس کے علاوہ یہاں تک جانے کا راستہ بھی ٹھیک نہیں ہے، اس کے لئے تقریبا ایک گھنٹہ کا پیدل سفر کرنا پڑے گا، حکومت کو چاہیئے کہ دوبارہ سے ٹھیک کرے اور تعلیمی اداروں کو چاہیئے کہ Study Tours ایسے تاریخی مقامات پر کروایا کریں۔ یہ جو سٹڈی ٹور مری، نتھیا گلی وغیرہ میں کیئے جاتے ہیں یہ صرف اور صرف تفریح ہی ہو سکتے ہیں ان سے تعلیمی مقاصد حاصل نہیں کیئے جا سکتے، 1974 میں سوویت یونین نے ابو ریحان محمد بن البیرونی پر ایک فلم بھی بنائی ھے جس کا نام ھے ابو ریحان البیرونی، البیرونی کی وفات 1050 میں غزنی افغانستان میں ہوئی اور وہیں آسودہ خاک ہیں

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March 15, 2021 No Comments

Dyal Singh Majithia

Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia (1848–98) was an Indian banker and activist in progressive and social reform measures in Punjab. He established The Tribune newspaper in Lahore in 1881 and later remained founder chairman of the Punjab National Bank, established in 1894. He established the Dyal Singh trust society. When he died in 1898 he owned 26 prestigious properties, including Dyal Singh Mansion of 54 residential units on The Mall, scores of lawyers’ chambers on Fane Road, the exchange building which was later sold to Ganga Ram Hospital, and a property in Karachi which was sold after his death and the earning invested in the purchase of land on the road to Mian Mir, where today stands the new campus of Panjab University. Most of the buildings, plots of land, and villages in Lahore, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur districts were bequeathed to the trusts that set up Dyal Singh College and Dyal Singh Library. His other business activity concerned the purchase and resale of precious jewelry. With his deep knowledge of the history of the Sikh kingdom and the riches of the once important and wealthy families now in dire straits, he sent agents to buy these out for him. He was a connoisseur of precious stones and told his friends how lucrative this business was.

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March 13, 2021 No Comments

Nasirud-din Murat-Khan

Nasirud-din Murat graduated with triple degrees in architecture, town planning, and civil engineering from Leningrad State University in 1930. He enjoyed a thoroughly successful career in the capacity of both as a chief civil engineer and as a chief architect involved in several projects in the USSR such as the national theatre in the city of Derbent, a polytechnic institute for 800 students in Makhachkala, a 600-bed hospital in the same city, town planning and designing of a new township for 60,000 families (over 100,000 people) in Makhachkala and other numerous projects. In Pakistan, he designed multiple structures as well including 1,000-bed Nishtar Hospital in Multan, a mental hospital of 500 bed in Mansehra, Division Public School in Lahore and Faisalabad, 700+ seating capacity auditorium in Forman Christian College, Municipal office in Multan, Mosque in the Governor’s house and many other to count. The most iconic gift given by the architect was Minar-e-Pakistan for which he didn’t charge a penny and to which he gave the reason that he wanted to show gratitude to the country who gave him his final home. There is a misconception that he was only the architect of the monument but in reality, he was both architect and engineer of the monument. Originally, the top of the monument didn’t have a covering to signify the young country’s infinite, promising growth. The committee overseeing the project changed the design to a dome to signify Islamic architecture, which was contested heavily by Nasirud din. He told the committee that they are stunting the growth of the country by changing the design but the committee didn’t budge. They even excluded him from the project two weeks before the inauguration and sent him the final bill which he rejected because he wanted to pass the bill after removing errors and defects. The committee went forward with their decision and inaugurated the monument without even inviting the man who gave everything to it. According to his daughter, he was heart-broken and devastated and he wanted to leave Pakistan but unfortunately, he died a year after, with a broken heart.

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March 13, 2021 No Comments

Sir Ganga Ram Father of Modern Lahore

Rai Bahadur Sir Ganga Ram Rai Bahadur Sir Ganga Ram (13 April 1851 – 10 July 1927) was an Indian civil engineer, architect, and leading philanthropist of his time, who established the Renala Hydral Power Station in Renala Khurd in 1925. His extensive contributions to the urban fabric of Lahore, in modern Pakistan, caused Khaled Ahmed to describe him as “the father of modern Lahore”. In 1873, after a brief Service in Punjab P.W.D devoted himself to practical farming. He obtained on lease from the Government 50,000 acres (200 km²) of barren, unirrigated land in Montgomery district, and within three years converted that vast desert into smiling fields, irrigated by water lifted by a hydroelectric plant and running through a thousand miles of irrigation channels, all constructed at his own cost. This was the biggest private enterprise of the kind, unknown and unthought-of in the country before. Sir Ganga Ram earned millions most of which he gave to charity. In the words of Sir Malcolm Hailey, the Governor of Punjab, “he won like a hero and gave like a Saint”. He was a great engineer and a great philanthropist. He designed and built General Post Office, Lahore Museum, Aitchison College, Mayo School of Arts (now the NCA), Ganga Ram Hospital, Lady Mclagan Girls High School, the chemistry department of the Government College University, the Albert Victor wing of Mayo Hospital, the Hailey College of Commerce, Ravi Road House for the Disabled, the Ganga Ram Trust Building on The Mall and Lady Maynard Industrial School. He also constructed Model Town, once the best locality of Lahore, the powerhouse at Renala Khurd as well as the railway track between Pathankot and Amritsar. He built Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lady Mclagan School, and Renala Khurd Power House with his own money. He was a promising agriculturist, too. He purchased thousands of acres of barren land in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad) on lease and by using engineering skills and modern irrigation methods, turned the arid lands into fertile fields. He retired in 1903. He died in London on July 10, 1927. His body was cremated and his ashes were brought back to India. A portion of the ashes was consigned to Ganga River and the rest buried in Lahore on the bank of the Ravi. A statue of Sir Ganga Ram once stood on Mall Road in Lahore. Saadat Hasan Manto, the famous Urdu writer, in one of his stories on the frenzy of religious riots of 1947 writes that an inflamed mob in Lahore, after attacking a Hindu residential area, ‘turned to attack the statue of Sir Ganga Ram, the Hindu philanthropist. They first pelted the statue with stones; then smothered its face with coal tar. Then a man made a garland of old shoes climbed up to put it around the neck of the statue. The police arrived and opened fire. Among the injured was the fellow with the garland of old shoes. As he fell, the mob shouted: “Let us rush him to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital”.

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March 12, 2021 No Comments

Are 15-minute cities the future?

The concept of the 15-minute city is slowly gaining traction across the globe as policymakers and urban planners look at its versatility in combatting densification and climate change. Imagine a city that included all urban necessities in a 15- minute radius? That’s the new concept of the 15-minute city based on the idea from Professor Carlos Moreno at the Sorbonne in Paris, in which all urban necessities are within a 15-minute reach on foot or bicycle. Moreno believes that humanity needs to move away from its dependence on roads and cars and aim to live in a carbon-neutral city. It’s a concept rapidly gaining traction after the COVID-19 pandemic as urban planners and architects look to alleviate the densification of cities. “The idea is that cities should be designed or rather re-designed so that they are within the distance of a 15-minute walk. People should be able to live the essence of what constitutes the urban experience to access work, house, food, health, education culture, and leisure,” he said in his TED Talk about the concept. “We need to rethink cities around the building blocks that form 15-minute cities. First ecology for a green and sustainable city, second proximity: to live with reduced distances to other activities, third solidarity: to create links between other people. Finally, participation should involve citizens in the transformation of their neighborhood. Cities are places of economic dynamism and innovation, but we need to make urban life more pleasant healthy, and flexible,” he says. The idea is already taking shape among policymakers and urban planners; Paris is aiming to be the world’s first 15-minute city by 2030, while Melbourne is looking at 20-minute neighborhoods by 2050. Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Glasgow are also focusing on this concept in their bid to reduce emissions and waste in the drive towards carbon neutrality. WHAT FACTORS MUST A 15-MINUTE CITY HAVE? Proximity: Things must be close, no more than 15-minutes via bicycle or foot Diversity: Different urban amenities including a green environment Density: There must be enough people to support a diversity of businesses in a compact land area. Ubiquity: These neighborhoods must be so common that they are available and affordable to anyone who wants to live in one. NEOM-SAUDI ARABIA’S 15-MINUTE CITY NEOM, The Line, launched earlier this year aims to test out the 15-minute city in the MENA region. The vehicle-free city is expected to offer zero-carbon, high-speed autonomous transport, in addition to offering a green environment with all urban necessities no more than 15-minutes away.

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March 12, 2021 No Comments

Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners

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February 20, 2021 No Comments

In Ruins: 6 Projects That Breathe New Life Into Dilapidated Buildings

Ruins can be spotted all around the world, both in rural and urban areas. Those decayed buildings, bare brick walls, tattered exterior, and beautiful architecture are always eye-catching. The notion of combining them with new architectural styles rather than rebuilding these ruins is modern. 6 Projects That Breathe New Life Into Dilapidated Buildings.

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January 2, 2021 No Comments

Public consultation and coordination session in Tehsil Fateh Jang and Tehsil Hasan Abdal

Public consultation and coordination session held on 11th and 12th November in Tehsil Fateh Jang and Tehsil Hasan Abdal Fateh Jang Hasan Abdal

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November 13, 2020 No Comments

Fire Hazards and Firefighting in Pakistan

IIPS Live Webinar: Fire Hazards and Firefighting in Pakistan https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=360168818636943

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October 29, 2020 No Comments

Urban Water Management

When: Thu August 19, 2020, 12:00 pm – 02:00 pm (Pakistan Standard Time)

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August 19, 2020 No Comments

What are Alternative Energy Sources?

Alternative energy encompasses all those things that do not consume fossil fuel. They are widely available and environment friendly. They cause little or almost no pollution. There have been several alternative energy projects running in various countries to reduce our dependence on traditional fossil fuels. There are many impressive options that you can take into consideration. Here you will learn more about alternative energy sources that you can take into consideration. Solar Energy Solar is the first energy source in the world. It was in use much earlier before humans even learn how to light a fire. Many living things are dependent on solar energy from plants, aquatic life, and animals. Solar is mostly used in generating light and heat. The solar energy coming down to the planet is affected by the orbital path of the sun and its variations within the galaxy. In addition, it is affected by activity taking place in space and in the sun. It was this energy that is believed to have been responsible for the breaking of ice during the ice age, which creates the separation of lands and sea. Solar energy is one of the alternative energy sources that is used most widely across the globe. About 70% of the sunlight gets reflected back into space and we have only 30% of sunlight to meet up our energy demands. While solar energy is used for producing solar energy, it is also used for drying clothes, used by plants during the process of photosynthesis, and also used by human beings during winter seasons to make their body temperature warm. Solar energy can be extracted either by Solar Thermal or using Photovoltaic (PV) Cells. There are two kinds of solar energy the active solar energy and passive solar energy. Passive solar energy basically uses duration, position, and sun’s rays intensity to its advantage in heating a particular area. It also uses it to induce airflow from an area to the next. Active solar energy uses electrical technology and mechanical technology like collection panels in capturing, converting, and storing energy for future use. Solar energy does not create any pollution and is widely used by many countries. It is a renewable source of power since the sun will continue to produce sunlight all the years. Solar panels, which are required to harness this energy can be used for a long time and require little or no maintenance. Solar energy proves to be ineffective in colder regions that don’t receive good sunlight. It cannot be used at night and not all the light from the sun can be trapped by solar panels. Solar energy advantages are much more than its disadvantages which make it a viable source of producing alternative energy. Wind Energy This is one of the energy sources that have been in use for a very long time and for centuries. It was used in powering sailing ships, which made it possible for explorers to sail around their trade routes in distant lands. A single windmill can power the crop irrigation, and the family energy needs, water pumping, and electric lights. However, at the present time, there are several windmills that are used to generate the required energy mostly for industrial uses. Many of the wind turbines can capture much power all at once before feeding it to the power grid. These are commonly known as wind farms and have been in use for many years all around the world. It is only the United States that is going slow in terms of accepting this alternative energy source. Wind power is a renewable source of energy and reduces our alliance with foreign countries for the supply of oil and gas. It does not cause any air pollution and has created several jobs in the last few decades. Advancement in technologies has brought down the cost of setting up the wind power plant. Wind energy can only be used in areas that experience high winds which means that it cannot be used as a source to extract energy anywhere on earth. They sometimes create noise disturbances and cannot be used near residential areas. These disadvantages have made the use of wind energy in particular regions only. Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy can be found anywhere on the earth. Most countries tap this energy to generate electricity and power millions of homes. The areas which have high underground temperatures are the ones which are the ones which are prone to earthquakes and volcanoes. The United States produces more Geothermal electricity than any other country in the world. Most hot water geothermal reservoirs are located in the western states, Alaska, and Hawaii. Geothermal energy is totally renewable as the Earth will continue to produce heat as long as we are all are here. If these resources are tapped and are utilized effectively, they can provide solutions to the world’s power problems. Geothermal energy produces no pollution, reduces our alliance on fossil fuels. It also results in significant cost savings as no fuel is required to harness energy from beneath the earth. These advantages make geothermal energy one of the best alternative energy sources. But, geothermal has its downsides too. It is suitable for a particular region and cannot be harnessed everywhere. The earth may release some harmful gases while releasing the heat which may prove adverse for mankind. Also, the areas where this energy is harnessed are prone to earthquakes and volcanoes. Apart from that, setting up geothermal power stations requires huge installation costs. Hydroelectric Energy Solar energy is produced by the sun and wind energy is produced by the moving of winds. The heat caused by the sun drives the wind. The movement of winds is then captured by wind turbines. Both wind and sun cause water to evaporate. The water vapor then turns into rain or snow and flows down to sea or oceans through rivers or streams. The energy of the moving water can then be captured and called hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power stations capture the kinetic energy of moving water

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July 2, 2020 No Comments

Water Scarcity In Pakistan & Our Policy Measures

A message from Mr. Khurram Farid Bargatt, Member IIPS Advisory Board, and Moderator: https://fb.watch/2OAC4rTm5E/

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June 8, 2020 No Comments

Construction Package By PM Pakistan

Iqbal Institute of Policy Studies invites you to the following event.Webinar on “CONSTRUCTION PACKAGE BY PM PAKISTAN”When: Thu May 7, 2020, 12:00 pm – 02:00 pm (Pakistan Standard Time) Joining link info: To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/qpn-wgpc-ocyOtherwise, to join by phone, dial +1 240-774-0086 and enter this PIN: 555 481 385#To view more phone numbers, click this link: https://tel.meet/qpn-wgpc-ocy?hs=5) Moderators: Lt. Gen (R) Haroon Aslam – President Advisory Board IIPS Mr. Khurram Farid Bargatt – Member Advisory Board IIPS Speakers: Mr. Zaigham M. Rizvi – Chairman NPHP Mr. S.M. Imran – Vice-Chairman LDA Mr. Shafiq Akbar – Chairman Graana Group Mr. Akbar Sheikh – Chairman ABAD (N.R) Mr. Kalim A Siddiqui – Chairman PCATP Mr. Javed Afzal – Provincial Chief SMEDA Instructions: Use of Google Chrome Browser is recommended to join the webinar. To ensure voice clarity & prevent feedback participants are requested to mute their microphones unless they are the ones speaking. Participants besides the Panelists are requested to reserve their questions for the webinar end Q&As session or write their questions in the comments section.

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April 10, 2020 No Comments

Internship Program 2020

An internship at Sheher Saaz allows you to tackle real issues in policy areas spanning the full breadth of work. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to work alongside our experienced full-time staff in helping out in the day-to-day operations at a research center. Interns are an integral part of the team. They take charge of tasks that support the organization’s work and operations. We welcome dedicated, resourceful, and motivated individuals from various academic backgrounds to join our team and make an impact on building a better Pakistan. Here you not only build your knowledge and skills in a thought-provoking think tank environment, but you will also gain experiences that will be beneficial to your personal and professional growth. We offer three types of internship programs: Junior Associate Program Sheher Saaz most competitive and prestigious internship program for graduates. Candidates must possess expertise in subject areas relevant to Sheher Saaz work, such as economics, political science, law, business, social sciences, environment, gender development, GIS, transportation, project management, conservation, architecture and urban planning as well as business development. Junior Associates are expected to handle more complex tasks such as assisting with the completion of a research proposal/paper and leading a program campaign. Eligibility: University graduate with a CGPA of at least 3.5 Duration: 6 to 9 months To apply, please submit the following documents to hr@shehersaaz.com Curriculum Vitae (include references) and cover letter Transcripts and relevant certificates Essay to the following question: ‘What policy reforms would you propose in Pakistan and why?’ Sample of written work Shortlisted candidates will be notified for further interviews. Business Development Internship Sheher Saaz is seeking a current college student, current graduate student, or recent college graduate who is interested in serving as an intern and providing a wide range of database, research, administrative, and general support to Sheher Saaz Development Manager. In return, Sheher Saaz will provide an opportunity for the intern to gain experience in and familiarity with areas such as conducting surveys, collecting primary and secondary data, event management, business development, research, and day-to-day operations of a think tank with a global network. The Development Intern will be part of the External Relations Team and report to the Development Manager. Specific Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: Assist the development staff in entering data for analysis. Conduct research on potential strategic partners, markets and industries. Prepare reports and presentations for internal and external use. Draft correspondence, reports, proposals and briefs. Assist the development staff in planning events and other activities. Maintain files and other development materials. Attend department and staff meetings. Assist with mailings, filing, and special projects as needed. Qualifications Strong writing and research abilities. Desire to learn more about research and development. Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and relevant professional applications. Experience with databases is a plus. Good interpersonal skills and attention to detail. A demonstrated commitment to Sheher Saaz mission and values. Unimpeachable ethical standards and personal integrity. June 2020 to November 2020 Flexible within business hours (9:30 am to 5:00 pm). A firm commitment of 40 hours per week is required. Duration: 6 months To apply, please submit the following documents to hr@shehersaaz.com Curriculum Vitae (include references) and cover letter Transcripts and relevant certificates Sample of written work Shortlisted candidates will be notified for further interview. Internship Sheher Saaz Internship is an internship program for fresh graduates and students from any academic background. Interns are expected to provide support for projects and activities of the division that they are assigned to, and will have the opportunity to be involved in policy research, event management, communications work and so on. Eligibility: University students from any background Duration: 3 to 6 months To apply, please submit the following documents to hr@shehersaaz.com Curriculum Vitae Short answer to the following questions: ‘Why do you want to be part of Sheher Saaz and what do you want to achieve from the internship program (limit 300 words) Sample of written work Shortlisted candidates will be notified for further interview.

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March 26, 2020 No Comments

The Canadian Mandate: Data Governance for Economic Prosperity

The ministerial mandate letters are clear: there is a need to establish a new set of online rights focused on data use for Canadians. Three ministers, in particular, are charged with the main task of coordinating these new rights: innovation, science, and industry; heritage; and justice. Why such a focus on data? Simply put, there are substantial societal issues related to the use and monetization of personal data. As we set rules and regulations in this area, we also need to be mindful of the broader, and complex, picture: data is at the heart of the innovation process, where the rules of the game are very different from those of the tangible economy and where a global battle is taking place on what those rules could look like. Canada’s values should be reflected in those rules and we need to take charge now. Our prosperity depends on it. Data is the feedstock for the algorithms that power artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms where both large quantities and varieties of data are necessary. Together, data and AI are a powerful force that has disrupted existing industries and led to new types of business models, work arrangements, and industries. Not surprisingly, governance arrangements have struggled to keep up. The focus has generally been on setting the rules for our tangible assets like steel and lumber, given the trade wars over the past few years. But, we now need to shift that focus to the rules for intangibles and data. Data is extremely valuable. Experimental estimates from Statistics Canada have placed the value of Canadian data at almost two-thirds the value of our oil assets—or about $217-billion. And while large, the value pales relative to other countries. While not strictly comparable, the market cap of the U.S.-based Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google is around US$4-trillion. This high valuation results from their monopoly positions and huge data stores. These companies are further cementing their advantageous positions each and every minute, with continued acquisitions of data through user engagement and fierce protection of their assets by a combination of de facto rule setting in the absence of national regulations: trade deals that enshrine open data flows; strong intellectual property protection of their data and AI assets; takeovers of innovative firms through their vast reserves of cash; the acquisition of top talent; and the powerful information asymmetries that drive out competition. There is a tangled web of interconnected national and international governance issues around big data, AI, and digital platforms that pervade all aspects of society. They include surveillance, privacy, cybersecurity, competition and trade, foreign direct investment, online speech, and even democracy. Against this background, what could a Canadian strategy look like? First, we need to get our domestic framework right. The elements of a successful strategy are already in place, including the National Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy, National Cyber Security Strategy, a Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, and a Patent Collective. These initiatives reveal both the strengths and weaknesses of our current approach—each department brings a set of experts, but the danger is a lack of coordination across them. We, therefore, need to ensure that there is a horizontal focus on data governance with all relevant departments at the table to ensure a coherent set of policies. Second, we need coherence across levels of government and a multi-stakeholder dialogue given the important societal concerns around data. Third, the government can, and should, be a powerful incubator to test out governance arrangements both for its own operations and within the industry. There is no one-size-fits-all approach and a combination of standards, regulations, and laws will be required. An essential element of this approach is standard-setting. Standards not only help to set the rules of the game, but they also embed societal values for the use of new technologies such as online rights. They can also be used to embed Canadian IP. Importantly, we can guide international discussions on global governance. Even as de facto rules are being set by the platforms or by other regions, the scene is chaotic and there are no internationally agreed-upon rules—and they are sorely needed. We should not underestimate the ability of Canada to be a global leader. We are a recognized leader in AI research, we have the talent, we have a reputation for good governance, and there are many countries looking for guidance. This article was originally published in The Hill Times. The opinions expressed in this article/multimedia are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIGI or its Board of Directors. ABOUT THE AUTHOR ROBERT FAY Robert (Bob) Fay is the director of the global economy at CIGI and is responsible for research direction and related activities. He has extensive experience in macro and micro-economic research and policy analysis.

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February 20, 2020 No Comments

Gates of Walled City Lahore

In the Mughal days, the Old City was surrounded by a 9 meter high brick wall and had a rampart running around it which served as a protection for the city. A circular road around the rampart gave access to the city through thirteen gates. Some of the imposing structures of these gates are still preserved. The Raushnai Gate, or the “Gate of Light” is between the royal mosque and the citadels. The Kashmiri Gate is so-called because it faces the direction of Kashmir. The Masti Gate is not the actual name but is rather twisted and pronounced instead of “Masjid,” which means a mosque. The Khizri or the Sheranwala Gate. As already noted, the river in former times flowed by the city walls, and the ferry was near this spot. The gate was, therefore, named Khizri, after the name of Khizr Elias, the patron saint, according to the Mahomedan belief, of running waters and streams, and the discoverer of the water of immortality. The Yakki Gate. The original name was “Zaki,” which was derived from the name of a martyr saint, who, according to tradition, fell fighting against the Moghal infidels from the north, while gallantly defending his city. The Dehli Gate is so-called because of its opening on the highway from Lahore to Delhi. The Akbari Gate was named after Mahomed Jala-ud-din Akbar, who rebuilt the town and citadel. The Mochi Gate is the name wrongly pronounced. It was named was actually Moti meaning a pearl. It was called so after the name of Moti Ram, an officer of Akbar, who resided here at that time. The Shah ‘Almi Gate was named after Mohomed Mo’azzam Shah ‘Alam Bahadur Shah (the son and successor of Aurangzeb). He was a mild and generous Emperor, who died in Lahore on the 28th February 1712. The Lahori Gate is also known as the Lohari gate has been named after the city of Lahore. The Mori Gate is the smallest of the gateways and as its name implies, was in old times used as an outlet for the refuse and sweepings of the city. The Bhatti Gate was named after the Bhatis, an ancient Rajput tribe who inhabited these quarters in old times. The Taxali Gate was named after the Taxol or royal mint, which used to be in its neighborhood during the period of the Mahomedan Emperors.

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January 9, 2020 No Comments

Sustainable Housing

Energy-saving and sustainability are the governments’ key focus areas for the next decade and beyond. It is essential for the UK to not only build new houses which are sustainable but make changes to our existing houses to reduce carbon emissions. Currently, the existing housing stock and travel accounts for 40 percent of UK carbon emissions and this are where most of the changes need to take place. However, initially, the government is concentrating on any new build housing and implementing significant regulations to ensure all new houses built are much more energy efficient. In order to create sustainable housing, the government has introduced the Code for Sustainable Homes. This is a set of six levels which range from a 10% energy efficiency rating right up to 100% which is carbon zero. Carbon zero is when a house does not have any net carbon emissions. The house will still emit carbon into the atmosphere but due to the systems and renewable energy solutions installed in the home, the amount of carbon released is offset by the energy saved or generated. The government has committed to building 5 Eco Towns throughout the UK which will have little or no carbon footprint. This is a bold step for the government as many builders in the construction industry are struggling to meet even the lower levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes guidelines. However, the long-term plan is that all new homes whether the public or private sector will have to meet level 6 of the Code. With over 160,000 new homes being built every year this will have a positive impact on the level of carbon emissions in the UK. By their very nature, sustainable homes will initially be more expensive to purchase but in the long term will save homeowners much more in terms of fuel and energy bills and of course the environment. The difference between an existing house and a sustainable house might be some of the following aspects: Triple Glazing Enhanced insulation External thermal wall cladding Greywater harvesting Ground source heating Solar Panels Photovoltaic cells Wood burner or stove Timber frame In order for the UK to really make a dent in carbon emission levels, it is critical for homeowners in older properties to make changes to reduce their carbon footprint.

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December 17, 2019 No Comments

Book Launch

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November 18, 2019 No Comments

World Town Planning Day

You are cordially invited to attend “World Town Planning Day”. When: Monday 18th of Nov 2019, 10 am to 1 pm in UMT Lahore. We would be honored by your presence on this auspicious occasion.Looking forward to seeing you there.Khurram Farid Bargatt– Vice-Chairman PCATP– Secretary-General IPP– Managing Director, Sheher Saaz https://nation.com.pk/08-Nov-2020/world-town-planning-day-2020 https://e.jang.com.pk/07-31-2019/pindi/pic.asp?picname=526.png

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October 18, 2019 No Comments

Airport architecture: The 12 most beautiful airports in the world

When architecture and aviation combine BY MEGAN BARBER At its worst, airport design is a confusing blend of bad carpeting and claustrophobic paneling that can leave you searching for hours for a bathroom. But a new class of airports is leaving the dark terminals of the past behind, opting instead for light-filled spaces that provide both function and inspiration. High-design airports are now scattered throughout the world, with big-time design firms like Foster + Partners, SOM, and Grimshaw tackling head-on the challenge of moving millions of people through spaces that need to be more secure than ever. And the trend of better airport architecture isn’t slowing. Huge airport projects currently under construction—like Daxing International Airport’s Zaha Hadid-designed terminal in Beijing and those in U.S. cities like New Orleans, Tampa, Orlando, and Los Angeles—will showcase upgraded and modernized designs. To see just where airport design is headed, we’ve rounded up the 12 most beautiful airports currently operating around the world. From Denver to Mumbai to Osaka, this is architecture taken to new heights. Airport of Marrakesh Menara in Morocco Completed in 2008, the terminal extension of the Marrakech Menara Airport in Morocco—designed by Swiss Architects E2A Architecture—uses a gorgeous facade that has become a hallmark of the airport. Light filters into space by arabesques made up of 24 rhombuses and three triangles. Clad in white aluminum panels and featuring stylized Islamic ornamental designs, the structure gives the terminal a brightness that changes according to the time of day. It’s also an excellent example of how a contemporary building can incorporate traditional cultural motifs. Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport Located in the capital of Azerbaijan, the Heydar Aliyev International Airport terminal features giant wooden cocoons designed by Turkish architecture studio Autoban. Light streams in through the concave external glass walls, and each cocoon houses cafes, bars, stores, and amenities, like a children’s play area. Diamond patterns on the atrium floors mimic the wooden shingles of the cocoon. The airport can handle more than 5 million passengers each year. Denver International Airport Airport architecture in the United States often leaves much to be desired, but Denver’s fabric-covered tents are a highlight in a sea of boring design. Designed to mimic Colorado’s snow-capped Rocky Mountains, the tents look striking at any time of day—but their soft glow at sunrise and sunset is especially captivating. Recent construction added a new Westin Hotel to the airport, and travelers can also now take a train directly from the airport to downtown Denver. Madrid Barajas International Airport Located just 12 kilometers from the center of the Spanish city capital, the Barajas Airport received an upgrade in 2006 thanks to addition by architect Richard Rogers that doubled the size of the airport. The structure’s unusual wave-shaped roof is supported by central “trees” that punctuate the roof to provide natural light throughout the upper level of the terminal. Bright reds and yellows offer a welcome departure from the standard gray and white used in most airport color schemes, and the roof also provides much-needed shade to combat Madrid’s hot summers. Kansai International Airport Opened in 1994 to relieve overcrowding at Osaka International Airport, Kansai International Airport was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Built on an artificial island in the Bay of Osaka, it’s the first “ocean” airport in the world and can handle 100,000 passengers a day. The extra-long terminal—the longest in the world at the time it was built—stretches 1.7 kilometers with 42 boarding gates and a large curving roof shaped like an airfoil. The structure was specifically designed to handle Japan’s frequent earthquakes, and just four months after opening, the airport survived the 6.9 Kobe earthquake with minimal damage. Beijing Capital International Airport At two miles long, Terminal 3 of the Beijing International Airport is one of the largest buildings in the world. Opened just in time for the 2008 Olympics, this structure features a striking design—created by architects Foster + Partners—that uses the traditional Chinese color scheme of red and yellow and a dragonlike form to celebrate Chinese history and culture. The terminal building and transportation center together enclose a floor area of 1.3 million square meters and were designed to accommodate 50 million passengers each year by 2020. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Mumbai’s new Terminal 2 building opened in 2014 to accommodate the city’s growing influx of visitors. A gigantic roof canopy references the form of vernacular Indian pavilions and is the centerpiece of the design. In total, 30 mushrooming columns connect to the canopy overhead, with patterns inspired in part by India’s national bird, the peacock. SOM also sought to respect the traditions of local cultures—curbside drop-off zones are “designed for large parties of accompanying well-wishers [to] accommodate traditional Indian arrival and departure ceremonies.” Kuala Lumpur International Airport One of the largest airports in Asia, the Kuala Lumpur airport, designed by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa, incorporates an Islamic-style shading roof anchored by massive columns. The roof is also reminiscent of a common tree in the Malaysian rainforest, and the lights on the canopy represent the filtered sun that shines between leaves. Kurokawa’s “airport in the forest” design demonstrates how modern design—the shell-like roof is made with sleek stainless steel—and cultural traditions can blend together. The airport also features a series of prayer rooms throughout. Kutaisi International Airport This small airport located in Kutaisi, Georgia, was designed by the Dutch architecture firm UNStudio. The firm wanted to help passengers navigate the airport, building a bright red corner to act “as a crossing-point and point of recognition.” Large windows create a light-filled interior with views of the Caucasus Mountains, and a golden, wood-like structure in the center of the terminal provides a meeting point for passengers. Architect Ben van Berkel designed the building with a large span, open spaces, and high ceilings—a nod to the great railway stations of the past. Shenzhen Baoan International Airport The first airport project designed by the Rome-based architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, the new Terminal 3 building at Shenzhen Baoan International Airport in China was built to look like a manta

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September 25, 2019 No Comments

DIY urban planning is happening all over the country. Is it only for white people?

Who are these pop-up parks and temporary beer gardens really meant for? Amanda Kolson Hurley is a freelance journalist in Silver Spring, Md. As part of PARK(ing) day, artists around the world transform parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces. Last year, a group of San Diego realtors had an idea. What if they threw a “better block” party in a low-income Latino neighborhood called Barrio Logan? Maybe, they thought, it would create a buzz about the neighborhood. Maybe it would get residents outside, walking around and talking to their neighbors. The organizers put in benches and planters and closed the street for a nighttime festival. But things didn’t go the way they planned. Business owners bristled at the notion that these outsiders knew better than locals how to improve the neighborhood. “They told us they were going to help us build a better block when we’ve already been here building a better block for years,” one told the Voice of San Diego. A number of stores closed in protest, and the DJ ended up playing his set to a near-empty street. The Barrio Logan incident captures the potential, and the potential pitfalls, of “tactical urbanism,” a new movement transforming cities. Tactical urbanism — which also goes by “DIY urbanism” or “creative placemaking” — uses small, often short-term fixes (like an artistically painted intersection) to promote wider and more permanent changes to a city (like reclaiming streets for walkers and cyclists). It tries to make the most of underused urban spaces such as vacant lots and deserted plazas, often through the medium of art. There are plenty of examples in the District: The daily lineup of food trucks that turns Farragut Square into a giant outdoor lunchroom. Free jazz concerts in a neighborhood park in Petworth. The weekend widening of sidewalks on M Street in Georgetown so strollers can breathe a little easier. As cities across America undergo a revival, their denizens are bursting with practical ideas to improve their neighborhoods, and they feel empowered to try them out. This spirited flurry of “city hacking” has opened the lid on the wonky discipline of urban planning and is starting to change the fabric of people’s daily lives. But since many cities also contend with stark inequality, it’s worth asking who these fixes are intended for and how this new spirit of engaged urban citizenship can benefit everyone. The District’s director of planning, Eric Shaw, is a fan of tactical urbanism but blunt about its class and race limitations. “A lot of the approaches inherently sometimes assume a privilege in using public space and existing in public space,” he says. Shaw cites PARK(ing) Day, which turns metered parking spaces into tiny public parks one day each fall. The tradition has spread from San Francisco all over the globe, including Washington. “I’ve told my staff that PARK(ing) Day is really nice,” he says. “But if five black males took over a parking spot and had a barbecue and listened to music . . . would they last 10 minutes?” [How can you tell if someone is kind? Ask how rich they are.] The term “tactical urbanism” was coined in 2010 by city planner Mike Lydon. The field draws on the interventionist art of the 1970s, as well as much older phenomena like the chuckwagons that fed cowboys in the West and the booksellers who’ve set up stalls on the Seine for centuries. But its rise was sparked by more recent events. Starting in about 2005, a series of unrelated guerrilla projects in cities around the United States became minor sensations, thanks to their effectiveness (and the Internet). Often, these forays were born out of citizens’ frustration with the status quo and the glacial pace of local bureaucracies. In 2012, a Raleigh, N.C., graduate student named Matt Tomasulo wanted to create signs encouraging fellow residents to get out of their cars and walk, but the cost of the necessary permits and the months-long wait made him balk. So he went rogue, devising a system of cheap, detachable signs directing people to local attractions and indicating how long it would take to walk there (often not nearly as long as they believed). His project was quickly embraced by city officials. Next, Tomasulo created Walk [Your City], a how-to website for those who want to post similar signs in their own cities. The templates he posted were downloaded by thousands. Now Raleigh and other cities are dotted with his signs. Tomasulo’s project is an inspiring success story. Increasingly, though, tactical urbanism is being employed by local governments themselves. In the past few months, the Montgomery County Planning Department painted a bright purple pathway through its Silver Spring, Md., parking lot to improve pedestrian safety there. Total cost: $2,500. In June, Arlington, Va., planners used tape and potted plants to make a temporary bike lane on Wilson Boulevard. What citizens might have done in the dead of night is now something government employees do in broad daylight, then proudly share with local blogs. The movement’s clearest victory in the United States so far is the taming of New York’s Times Square. On Memorial Day weekend in 2009, officials closed the square to automobiles and put out lawn chairs and orange traffic barrels, creating temporary plazas. These were a hit, and in 2010, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that they would become permanent. In the pilot phase, the city measured less congestion in Midtown Manhattan, as well as a significant drop in injuries to both motorists and pedestrians. Foot traffic in Times Square, meanwhile, increased by 11 percent, good news for retailers. “I’ve been telling my staff, ‘Just brainstorm some ideas, and try them out,’ ” says Casey Anderson, chairman of Montgomery County’s Planning Board. “It’s fine if some of them flop. We want to be able to take some risks. These things don’t cost a lot.” [We live in Aleppo. Here’s how we survive.] Tactical urbanism challenges the assumption that cities can improve only through major spending and tortuous rounds of paperwork and approvals. It allows citizens

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