Citizens Appeal For Immediate Action Against Encroachers

(@rukhshanmir)

Citizens appeal for immediate action against encroachers

KARACHI, Jan 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 06th Jan, 2017 ) : Karachiites have appealed to the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah to take immediate notice of rapid encroachment around Old Sabzi Mandi area.

Talking to APP Friday, they appreciated the chief minister for ordering removal of encroachment from foot paths and road sides by car dealers on Khalid bin Waleed Road, but said the situation is getting uglier at University Road, particularly the patch running parallel to the Old Sabzi Mandi.

The two way wide thoroughfare, part of University Road, they said on one side has taken upon by car dealers and tire shops while on the other, just next to the old Sabzi Mandi was largely encroached by vendors of all sorts and hues.

Wholesale market for fruits and vegetables had been shifted to the outskirts of Karachi years ago and the space was converted into a beautiful park, a much warranted need of the area people. "Unfortunately parts of the park itself has been commercialized with creation of marriage lawns and recreation center," said Mrs.

Mehboob Illahi, a resident of nearby Al Hilal Housing Society. The senior citizen supported by Zammarud Khan, inhabitant of Zaman Colony, a low income locality just behind the Old Sabzi Mandi said vendors selling goods ranging from old clothes, suitcases to fruits have encroached footpaths and almost half of thoroughfare running towards Gulshan e Iqbal and Karachi University.

"This has denied us of the opportunity to take our regular morning and evening walk within peaceful environment we were provided with," complained the two senior citizens.

They also mentioned serious dangers they were exposed to because of massive traffic rush.

Zammarud Khan said there were also no adequate parking arrangements for the visitors to the marriage halls and recreation centers being run on commercial basis on the premises of the public park.

"Hence evening hours are equally terrible," he said referring to repeated incidents of accidents with inhabitants of the locality being the major victims. Shahbaz Ali said the road is itself badly damaged as car dealers and other encroachers are witnessed digging the thoroughfare with absolute impunity and in accordance to their convenience.

The patch was said to be also used to do the washing causing water puddles. "Standing water and the heaps of garbage have further turned the site into a serious hazard for the inhabitants while also hampering the traffic flow," said another resident.

Sharaf Ali Syed, a motorist said he like many others using the way have to bear a torture on regular basis right from New M.A. Jinnah Road to University Road because of car show rooms and shops selling motor accessories.

"The business is factually done on the thoroughfare," he said and urged the authorities to take meaningful action, that too on permanent basis, against the violators of the law.