Impact of Surrounding Infrastructure on Urban Environment: A Case Study of Karachi Metropolitan

Abstract

Urban environment carries complex land-use and land cover (LULC), similarly Karachi as a metropolitan have multifaceted LULC and compact infrastructure. This study seeks to assess the impact of infrastructure of urban environment at mega city Karachi Pakistan. Approximately, fifteen different locations of metropolitan with different surroundings were evaluated based on the studied variables of surrounding such as temperature, humidity, formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) pollution, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air i.e., air quality, maximum noise pollution and minimum noise pollution were investigated. The readings have been collected through relevant instruments and the results have been generated through interpolation in ArcMap 10.8. The obtained results revealed that the physical factors affect the temperature and humidity conditions of the study area. While environmental and noise pollution depends on the surroundings, e.g. industrial surrounding effects on air quality, i.e. 180 recorded at industrial region of Korangi, while construction sites are catalysts of noise pollution and highest noise pollution are recorded at North-Nazimabad. Cancer causing substance, i.e. formaldehyde found along the petrol pumps, airports and transportation junctions ranges up to 0.99 ppm near Jinnah International airport and mass transit location of Shahrah e Faisal. While total volatile compound pollution has been found along the Malir catchment area, i.e. 0.4 mg/m3. The lifestyle of Karachiites need to be transform there is a dire need to think about physical and mental concord of the citizens of metropolitan. Similarly, government should play some positive actions and introduced green and environmental friendly technology to control air and noise pollution.