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Traffic police plan strict action against owners of high-rises, marriage halls

Violators will be booked under section 341 of Pakistan Penal Code after a month

By Salis bin Perwaiz
August 30, 2015
Karachi
DIG Traffic Amir Ahmed Shaikh taking notice of illegal parking on roads has written a letter to the city commissioner and the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), asking them to immediately issue notices to the owners and occupants of high-rise buildings who have not established parking lots within their premises.
Talking to The News on Saturday, he said that after a month strict action against violators would be taken and they would be booked in cases under Section 341 (creating public nuisance) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Shaikh said that due to illegal parking on roads across the city, citizens had to face traffic mess which lasted hours just because of the illegal parking spots.
The letter dispatched recently to the city commissioner and the chief controller of the SBCA states: “Of late, it has been observed that most of the builders, owners of the high-rise buildings, marriage lawns, schools and hospitals are violating the parking rules and regulations provided in the Karachi Building & Town Planning Regulations 2002 and the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979.”
It further says marriage lawns, hospitals, schools and high-rise buildings located on main arteries do not have their own parking spaces. “Ultimately, their vehicles are being parked in double/triple lanes on main roads, which cause traffic congestion even gridlocks across the area and pose a security risk as well.”
Category-wise lists of such buildings and marriage lawns are enclosed with the letter.
In view of the issue, it has been requested that in the first phase notices be issued telling all those listed to refrain from parking on public roads and arrange parking lots at appropriate places within one month. “In case of non-compliance legal action shall be initiated against them, including the cancellation of permissions.”
DIG Shaikh said he held a meeting with officials of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, including the commissioner, and at his request the commissioner cancelled the allotment of charged parking lots at 20 spots in Karachi.
He added that there must be a check and balance system in the SBCA which issued an NOC to the high-rise building owners without confirming the parking spots, as the law stated that the NOC would be issued after confirming the availability of parking space.
But in Karachi, Shaikh maintained, it was witnessed that many of the high-rise buildings, including malls and marriage lawns, were constructed without any planning or parking lot, causing visitors to park their vehicles on major roads, which created hours-long gridlocks.
He said he had also requested the commissioner to direct its Traffic Management Bureau officials to install traffic signs on roads. He deplored that traffic signs had not yet been put up on roads despite several reminders. Due to the non-availability of traffic signs, several traffic issues and hurdles took place, including arguments with traffic officials, while they were fining commuters for violations, he said.