Initial settlement patterns, locational choice between neighbourhoods and mobility behaviour of migrant households in Karachi (a fast-growing city in the Third World) are analysed in this research. A key result of the research is that ethnic considerations are dominating choice of location and are also a major influence on the subsequent mobility of migrant households. Therefore, residential segregation in terms of ethnicity is likely to increase as more migrants come into the city. This may have disastrous spatial consequences in view of the increased ethnic disturbances in the city. The migrant households are also seen to settle mostly in peripheral Katchi Abadis, which is stretching the city outward. Per capita costs of service provision are increasing as a consequence. Locating close to major employment centres is not an important consideration for the migrants but accommodation near workplaces is still preferred. Policies to limit migration and urban sprawl are recommended and should be particularly directed at the new arrivals to the city. The concentration should also be on upgrading existing settlements and making them more accessible.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Afoloyan, A.A. (1982) Residential mobility within metropolitan Lagos , Geoforum, 13, pp. 315-325.
2.
Chistie, S. and Rehman, S. (1989) Population dynamics of Karachi. Draft working paper, Master Plan and Environmental Control Department, Karachi Development Authority.
3.
Conway, D. and Brown, J. (1980) Intra-urban relocation and structure: low income migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean. Latin American Research Review, 15, pp. 95-125.
4.
Gilbert, A. and Gugler, J. (1982) Cities, Poverty, and Development: Urbanisation in the Third World. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5.
Green, G. (1988) Finding a home in a frontier city: the dynamics of housing tenure in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. PhD thesis, University College, London.
6.
Hassan S.F. and Pasha, H.A. (1986) Land densities in Karachi, Pakistan Journal of Applied Economics, 5, pp. 143-162.
7.
Morse, R.M. (1971) Trends and issues in Latin American research, 1965-70 , Latin American Research Review, 6(1), pp. 3-52 and 6(2), pp. 19-76.
8.
Ozo, A.O. (1986) Residential location and intra-urban mobility in a developing country: some empirical evidence from Benin City, Nigeria, UrbanStudies, 23, pp. 457-470.
9.
Roberts, B. (1973) Organising Strangers-Poor Families in Guatemala City. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
10.
Turner, J. (1968) Housing priorities, settlement patterns and urban development in modernising countries, Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 34, pp. 354-363.
11.
Van Lindert, P. (1991) Moving up or staying down? Migrant native differential mobility in La Paz. UrbanStudies, 28, 3, pp. 433-463.
12.
Vaughan, D. and Feindt, W. (1983) Initial settlement and intra-city movement of migrants in Monterrey, Mexico, Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 39, pp. 388-401.
