Punjab Urban Resource Centre
Introduction
Punjab Urban Resource Centre
Introduction
Punjab Urban Resource Centre (PURC) was established in October 2001 by a group of individuals comprising development professionals, community activists, architects, sociologists and teachers. In general, urban development planning in Pakistan is top down and takes place without consultation with interest groups, especially poor communities. For this reason, development is often non-representative and unable to effectively meet the needs of the citizens. PURC seeks the involvement of citizens and communities in the planning and decision-making process in order to make development more responsive to the needs of people. Through research, PURC attempts to understand urban and development-related issues, and with advocacy influences these in the light of a pro-poor approach.
Urban development planning in Pakistan is top down and takes place without consultation with interest groups, especially poor communities. As a result urban development promotes the interests of the elite and formal sector developers. Low income communities and the informal private sector are more often than not the victims of this development. In addition, politicians and planners are obsessed with grandiose mega projects whereas simple solutions can be successfully applied by involving and supporting various interest groups, NGOs and academia. Most mega projects in Pakistan have increased Pakistan’s debt and adversely affected the social and economic fabric of poor communities and their settlements and created major environmental problems as well. The PURC seeks the involvement of citizens and communities in the planning process so as to overcome some of these problems.
To meet these objective the PURC carries out the following activities.