Urban Planning

Issues in Urban Management and Planning: DAIMG's Suggestions The Scope of the Study This is a general note outlining some major issues involved in urban planning. Cities grow up spontaneously but the management of urban population is an administrative and governance issue which is becoming increasingly complex as urbanization proceeds. This paper seeks to provide a brief overview of problems in the physical planning of urban policies which the Islamic government must address to consolidate Islamic rule. Its primary focus is on a) housing b) transport c) water supply d) drainage and sanitation e) solid waste management f) health infrastructure The authors of this Report have no knowledge of the history of urban sector evolution in Afghanistan or of the present state of urban organization. This is a crucial limitation of the Report. This paper should be supplemented by a detailed study outlining the present situation of the general structure and organization of each of the sectors covered in this Report. We have tried to identify the data that must be collected in each sector to prepare this background paper. Once this background paper is available our 1

recommendations which at present are of general nature (based on a review of current literature in urban planning) should be contextualized and modified. If this background paper is prepared DAIMG is ready to prepare a follow-up Report modifying our general recommendations in light of the actual situation in each sector. In view of this limitation the analysis in each sector of this Report is divided into two parts: 1) Data and information requirements (some of which may already be available from annual reports prepared by the Central Statistical Office of the Islamic government and some may have to be collected by the authors of the background paper) and 2) DAIMG’s recommendations which as pointed out about are at present of a general nature needing to be modified on the basis of the general situation in Afghanistan. Objectives of Urban Planning The primary objective of urban planning should be the promotion of Islamic consciousness in urban life i.e. the promotion of the virtue of Sabr, Tawakkul, and infaq and the eradication of the vices of hirs, hasad and takabbur. Eradication of corruption in administrative practices is not sufficient to achieve this. It must be supplemented by a strong institutional dawah process centered around the masjid as the basic unit of administration and service delivery and the Ministry of Amr bil Maruf wa Nahi anil Munkar must play a crucial role in the administration of 2

urban life. This service delivery in each sector - housing, transport, sanitation, water management, communication and health - must not be seen as an end in itself but as a means for the promotion of Islamic consciousness and the eradication of capitalist vices. The impact of urban policy implementation on the growth of Islamic consciousness must be carefully monitored. Urban governance must be a means for creating a mass popular base for legitimation of Islamic rule in the country. Urban policy must be seen as a means for community organization in the cities. Urban community life has during 1930-2021 been systematically corrupted by state sponsorship of capitalist practices. It is the responsibility of the Islamic government to eradicate capitalist vices in urban community life and promote community organization reflecting the Islamic values of traditional, tribal Afghan culture. Preventing the growth of individualization, identitarianism and strengthening the social role of the joint family and tribal system should be a key goal of urban planning. Thus urban planning should not be seen as a stand-alone project. It must be integrated within a national socioeconomic planning framework so that wider sector development is effectively systematized within national socioeconomic development along well-thought out Islamic, non-capitalist lines. Urban spaces must not become 3

isolated enclaves within the national economy and society. A consciouss effort must be made to promote strong backward and forward between the urban and rural sectors - between tribes and urban community - so that a vibrant Islamic culture flourishes throughout Afghan society. This means that urban planning should be a component of national socioeconomic planning. The targets of service delivery in each urban sector - housing, transport, communication, water supply, waste management, health etc. - must be derived from a medium term national development plan and an annual development plan and these target must reflect the overall investment and employment strategies outlined in the National Plan. Despite over three years of Islamic rule we have been unable to develop a naitonal planning framework either on an annual or a medium term basis. This is a major weakness of our macroeconomic policy as without effective investment, employment, money supply and credit planning the Islamic state cannot govern the market and prevent its capitalist evolution. Recommendations a. As a pre-requisite for introducing urban planning a national development plan of a medium term and an annual duration must be formulated to contextualize urban sector management and service delivery. b. Municipal governance must be the responsibility of 4

mosques which must be the primary provider of urban services at the community level. c. The Ministry of Amr bil Maruf wa Nahi anil Munkar must monitor and evaluate the impact of the urban sector management strategy on the promotion of the Islamic virtues and the eradication of capitalist vices at the community level. d. Efforts must be made to strengthen the joint family and biradari, tribal system within the urban communities. Urban Planning in Ghaddar Rule (2002-2021) (to be prepared by the Background Report) must be critically reviewed. Housing Data Requirement a. Size and rate of growth of population in rural and urban areas. b. Age distribution of population ( rate of growth of population age groups in previous decade c. Extent of migration from rural to urban areas. d. Distribution of population by distance from city centers in major cities (at least Kabul) e. Distribution of urban population by income group (high income, middle income, low income, poor/destitute) f. Structure of land holdings in urban areas (by government bodies, private sector, private owners,, cooperative societies, , industrial and trade estates etc. 5

g. Details of Housing Schemes in different areas of cities. h. Distribution of mosques/madrassahs in city neighborhood i. growth of urbanized metropolitan areas of cities over the last decade (are metropolitan areas of city districts growing) j. Estimates of rural communities displaced by urban sector growth within city districts. k. Change in pattern of land ownership between public and private bodies. l. Details of land evictions in city areas (during ghaddar government period and later) m. Reasons for eviction (analysis) n. Data on land use (slum, high density housing, medium density housing, industries, vacant land, utilitiesites others o. Distribution of housing units (slums, semi permanent, high density housing, permanent houses and medium sized plots, large houses p. Demand-supply gap of different housing groups. q. age of house r. Quality of houses (cement, plastered with electricity, gas, etc.) Recommendations a. A mosque/madrassa serving as a basic local administrative unit should be established/identified that covers an area housing about 500 people (we should be developing a network of about 70000 6

b. c. d. e. f. mosques throughout the country) Government housing schemes should be developed in accordance with variation in localized population densities. Private developers should be incentivized to do the same. Investment in the city infrastructure should be based upon the distribution/density of the urban population. Displacement of traditional communities for the expansion of urban sector should be avoided. Urban spread should be discouraged. Rural-urban integration should be promoted through the spread of para-urban locales through issuance of urban leases in the case of government owned land. Sale of lease of public land from government land development authorities should be in accordance with rules and regulations designed to promote Islamic values, environmental sustainability, enhancing living conditions (specially for the mustadafeen) and elimination of corruption. Land should be set aside for religious, social and physical infrastructure development and for commercial purposes. Building and construction rules should be formulated and strictly implemented. Steps should be taken to ensure that a land mafia consisting of developers, administration and allied interest groups does not exist and land set aside for 7

religious, social and infrastructural purposes is not encroached upon. g. If such a mafia exists steps should be taken to dismantle it and the dismantling process should be the responsibility of the justice department and the ministry of Amr bil Maruf wa nahi anil Munkar. Strict penalties and punishments should be imposed on all functionaries of the land mafia. h. Sale of government Land should be avoided, normally it should be leased on a short term basis. i. A special program for the improvement and replacement of slumareas should be integrated into the urban development plan. Bulldozing of slum housing and replacement without consent of residents should be avoided. Slum improvement program management should involve communities organized at a mosque level. j. Illegal encroachment on government owned lands should be penalized. k. A comprehensive information system on land holdings should be developed in urban areas. l. Sale/lease of government land should be based on a City Land Plan which should be developed for facilitating the conversion of semi-permanent housing tenures into permanent tenures. m. Musharka and qard-e-hasna based credit should be provided for house building and improvement. 8

n. o. p. q. r. s. t. u. v. Technical assistance should also be provided for this purpose specially in slum and low income areas. Densification of old residential areas may be reduced by establishment of new areas in city peripheries. Network of informal/illegal land/housing development schemes should be liquidated to eliminate corruption. Development contract fulfilment should be strictly monitored. On-site infrastructure development in housing settlements should be effectively linked with the mass communication networks. Mosque based community participation in housing development schemes should be facilitated. Planning standards for housing development should be not unnecessarily high. Planning standards should reflect the culture and traditions of local communities. Housing and related infrastructural facilities should be provided at affordable prices (particularly in low income areas) Developers (formal and informal) should be induced to develop their schemes in accordance with a government approved city development plan. Land specialization should be strictly prohibited. Housing equipment manufacturing yards may be 9

established, low cost housing schemes to mechanize and upgrade construction products, apply new technologies, train and advice informal developers and professionals who are usually unemployed youth within the area. w. Much of infrastructure construction can be outsourced to the community itself through negotiation between local mosque based communities and public sector organizations. x. Lease issuance procedures should be simplified and local laws may be established. Issuance of leases should be encouraged to reduce the need for government financing of housing infrastructure development. Transport Data requirements a. Network of intercity and intra city buses and all other forms of public transport (taxis, rickshaws etc.) b. Pattern of ownership of public transport. c. Data on financers of privately owned public transport. d. Number of transport terminals, workshops and depots e. Details of the public transport servicing facilities. f. Description of the public transport regulating 10

system. g. Estimation of general transport sector investment including issuance of bank credit. h. Situation of issuance facility targeting transport sector i. Road mileage and type of roads j. Frequency of route rehabilitation Recommendations a. Formulation of traffic rules and regulations and effective monitoring of their observance. b. Assessment of environmental impact of the transport system in major areas. c. Develop appropriate design for the local manufacture of buses and two wheelers. d. Monitor and evaluate bribery by traffic police for ignoring violation of traffic rules by transporters e. Develop intra city transit routes and ensure that licenses are issued for plying public transport only in the routes. f. Transport should be accorded the status of an industry and its operation should be contextualized within a national policy g. Land should be allotted for the construction of bus stands, taxi stands and depots terminals. h. Road maintenance should be regularized. i. A central bus terminal should be established in each city, sub terminals need to be established at city 11

outskirts and at the end of each bus route. j. Stops for all public transport should be built in all city districts k. A Metropolitan Transport Authority should be established in all major cities to regulate transport flow. l. Credit facilities on musharka and modarba basis should be provided to stimulate transport sector investment. m. Bus routes should be rationalized in keeping with city expansion. n. Parking spaces for public transport should be provided. o. Encroachment of roads, pavements should be eliminated. p. Consideration may be given to the development of a short mass transit system in Kabul linking major business and residential areas. q. A circular railway system may be planned for Kabul. r. Educating the public regarding transport ethics and regulations should be developed as a national program and developed through mosques, madrassahs and schools. Water Sanitation Management Data Requirements 12 and Waste

a. Data on piped water, electricity, gas, sanitation and solid waste management in developed areas and slums of major cities b. Total water supply and demand in major cities and water losses and pilferage. c. Forecast water demand in major cities by 2030 d. Estimates of water supplied by private tankers in major cities. (if any) e. Data on sources of water supply f. Proportion of city population served by the sewerage system. g. Proportion of water waste treated by the official sewerage system. h. Sewerage treatment plants in action (total capacity, actual treatment) i. Information on frequency of cleaning of the drainage system. j. Data on width of nalas (water flow lanes) k. Data on solid waste collection and disposal in cities, by households, waste collection, land reclamation, agencies ,municipal contractors, not picked up per day l. Data on the waste recycling industry (paper and paper board, bottles and sheets, plastic toys, utensils, and electric circuits, ornaments and poultry feed, fluids etc.) m. Number of recycling factories in action and value of 13

their output and equipment n. Total electricity installed capacity in cities, demandsupply gap and 2030 forecast of electricity supply and demand, electricity theft. Recommendation a. The Islamic government instead of trying to increase water supply should privatize plugging the leakages in the water transmission system, eliminate water wastage and water theft. b. Illegal hydrants which typically use tube wells should be closed. c. Water user charges should be based on transmission costs d. Private sector may be involved in water management and operation of water waste services, communities may be mobilized to develop local water supply systems. e. The existing drainage and sewerage must be strengthened and there is no need for the creation of a new drainage and sewerage system in major cities. However new sewerage treatment plants may be established. f. Cleaning of existing drainage network must be urgently prioritised and encroachment on them must be removed on a regular basis. Nala width must be standardized. g. Open drains should be covered and where feasible 14

they should be replaced by underground sewerage. h. Rain water (where not stored) and sewage should flow together as establishing separate system for them is likely to be very expensive. i. There should be a review of existing treatment plants to assess appropriatness of designs, location and economies of scale. j. Government financing should be limited to the construction and maintenance of trunk severs and long collection severs. k. A low cost sanitation program should be initiated (specially to organize communities to construct and maintain an underground sewerage system within their own houses and their own funds and under their own management. Technical support must be provided by government agencies in the form of tools and supervision of implementation. It has been shown that low income communities can finance and manage underground sanitation systems in their homes. Communities can also build and maintain lane (Nala cleaning) services. l. It should be ensured that nala width expansion does not lead to the displacement of people residing in the area. Where this is unavoidable attempts must be made to provide adequate rehabilitation to displaced families. Small treatment plants may be constructed at nala junction points with community 15

support and private sector financing. m. A study must be prepared to outline the relationship between formal and informal sectors involved in the solid waste management process with special expansion on the extent of the development of the solid waste industry. n. Attempts must be made to institutionalize the financial organization and interdependence which exists between different segments of the solid waste industries – packers, contractors, bulk collectors, middle-men and recycling plants as to enhance the efficiency of the work of the waste management system. o. Efforts must be made to shift sewage plants to the proximity of landfill sites. p. Adequate information must be collected on , water treatment, disposal of waste and functioning of recycling plants. q. Technical and financial assistance should be provided for the recycling industry. r. A garbage city must gradually be established at the outskirts of major cities. s. Waste pickers are among the poorest of our brothers. They must be given technical and religious training through mosques and madrassahs and enabled to gradually move out of this field of employment. Waste pickers must be gradually 16

substituted by organized collection undertaken by public agencies and private sector especially those in the recycling industries Health Data Management a. Number of doctors/nurses and clinics in cities b. Number of hakims and their clients in cities c. Number of pharmaceuticals and retailers of drugs/medicines in cities d. Number and nature of private health programs (including immunization scheme) in cities. e. Number of patients in government hospitals. f. Number of patients in private hospitals. g. Estimation of major diseases prevalent in different parts of cities. h. Number of students (male/female) and annual output of medical schools and Tibb institutions. i. Birth and death rates j. Infant mortality rate k. Pregnancy related mortality rate Recommendations a. Mobile health clinics be established to provide services at mohalla and mosque level b. Arrangements for provision of hygiene information at mohalla and mosque level c. Family planning/birth control programs run by NGOs, imperialist agencies and private sector 17

organizations to be immediately discontinued. d. A previous DAIMG Report (Some Suggestions for Establishing of a Planning System in the Islamic Emirate) had suggested the establishment of Dawah Majlis at the enterprise level. It was recommended that in each major enterprise & office a communal enterprise Dawah majlis be established and that provision of health services and medicine to employees of these enterprises be channeled through the Dawah Majlis. e. Consideration be given to develop a health related takaful scheme initially covering public health sector employees but gradually expanding its scale and scope. Institutional and Governance Issues DAIMG has no knowledge of the existing pattern of levels of government in Afghanistan or of the changes made or envisaged by the Islamic government since 2021. Therefore like the rest of this Report, the suggestions made are of a general nature. 1. DAIMG argues that an institutional space must be created at the city level for continuous interaction between government policies and offices, religious leaders, private sector service providers and the people resident in the cities. Transparency and accountability must be promoted within this institutional structures. 18

2. As stressed in section II of this Report the primary function of all governance (including urban governance) in the Islamic Emirate is the promotion of the Islamic virtues of sabr, tawakkul and infaq and the eradication of the capitalist vices of hirs and hasad at all levels of society. 3. Local governance must also enhance the provision of security and physical infrastructure (especially water and electricity) to urban residents. 4. Local government should prioritize the provision of facilities for the informal sector which is engaged in trade, manufacturing, transport, the waste recycling sector land development and housing etc. Governance processes must ensure that activities are not organized along the lines of capitalist interest groups but an imbued with a spirit of hidaya under a religious leadership. The commodification of state property should also be discouraged. Community involvement in the design and implementation of all urban sector projects and processes must be ensured. 5. The mosque/madrassah must be the key focal point of local government. The local imams must be seen as the legitimate leaders of the community. His role must be expanded to include provision of leadership in all areas of city service provision. A functionary structure of civil mosque administration must be 19

created with several tiers – mohallah, bazar, locality, district, metropolitan – structured and integrated and reporting to provincial urban sector ministries. The functionary of such an administration system will stimulate religious awareness in civil policymaking and implementation from processes and ensure that group interests are not reflected in the policymaking process. We need to evolve a dedemocratized municipal administration structure to complement the de-democratized state governance structure in the Islamic Emirate. If the local government edifice is built along democratic lies it will necessarily de-legitimate and undermine the anti-capitalist structure of the Islamic State. 6. The Ministry of Amr bil Maruf wa nahi anil Munkar should be allowed to play a crucial role in policy evaluation of local governance process. The Ministry should be responsible for enhancing the moral and religious consciousness of the entire population as well as of the administration of the program. This is necessary to eliminate capitalist corruption. 7. Finally it must be stressed civic sector intervention has been a key imperialist initiative in Afghanistan. Imperialist agencies intervene in civic program to promote capitalist values and orientation at the community level as well as to undermine national 20

sovereignty. This is likely to be especially the case in Afghanistan where the imperialist agencies are functioning as the basis of a ‘bottom-up’ strategy and corrupting the masses is seen as the key means for undermining Islamic rule. Therefore, no foreign agency should be allowed the participate in the design, operation and evaluation process of any urban sector project or program. Financial grants (not loans) may be accepted but we should insist that they have no strings attached with respect to the hiring of consultation or sourcing inputs or management related to the projects. y 21