CM wants streets, footpaths, green belts cleared of encroachments

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has instructed all the administrative, local government, development and law enforcement authorities to devise a plan to remove encroachments from footpaths, service roads, green belts, walkways and streets so that the beauty and sanctity of Karachi can be restored.

“We as the Sindh government are strengthening the local bodies so that this city can be made liveable, but under the nose of the relevant authorities, encroachments have been appearing in their respective areas to ruin the government’s efforts in this regard,” CM Shah said.

During a meeting he chaired on Friday to discuss the issues of encroachments in the city, he said encroachments on footpaths, green belts, walkways and streets have defaced the city, and caused serious issues in the flow of traffic as well as movement of pedestrians.

However, he pointed out, no authority is prepared to remove the encroachments. He categorically said that no institution has the authority to allow any encroachment on green belts, footpaths or walkways.

“How have some private offices ended up placing their generators on the footpaths, right under the noses of the relevant local bodies and the deputy commissioners?”

He directed all the administrations, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the town municipal corporations (TMCs), the police and the development authorities to clarify their role and responsibilities in this regard.

LG Minister Saeed Ghani and Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the local bodies have their anti-encroachment wings but they are not as active as they should be.

The CM directed the KMC, the TMCs and the administration to remove encroachments from public spaces with the support of the police. “I suggest you give appropriate time to the encroachers, then launch a vigorous operation.”

Debris removal

It was pointed out that debris and construction material are dumped on footpaths, service roads and even on main roads. The CM directed the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to get an undertaking from all the builders that they would not use public spaces for dumping construction material.

Meanwhile, he pointed out, the administration would launch a campaign against such government and private builders, impose heavy fines on them and seize their material.

Road-cutting

The CM said that different authorities, such as the KMC, the Karachi Development Authority and the TMCs, have been granting road-cutting permissions and collecting charges but they have failed to reconstruct the roads.

He directed the chief secretary to get the charges for road-cutting revised and evolve a mechanism to reconstruct the dug-up roads within three months. He said that there must be a certification procedure in this regard.

Charged parking

The meeting observed that various illegal charged parking areas have cropped up on the roads, and these illegal parking areas are causing serious traffic issues.

The CM directed the LG and other relevant authorities to notify the parking areas officially in consultation with the traffic police and remove all the unauthorised parking zones.

The meeting told the CM that most of the shopping plazas have their own parking areas but they have converted them into warehouses to rent them out. Shah directed the SBCA to share the list of the shopping plazas that have their own parking areas with the city commissioner.

He said the commissioner would launch operations against them through his DCs and SSPs to restore the parking areas. He formed a traffic management team to be headed by the commissioner to resolve illegal parking issues.

Hoardings

The meeting was told that a map of the city would be drawn for hoardings so that they can only be installed at the designated sites in accordance with the approved sizes. He directed the KMC to file their proposals for hoardings. He said hoardings installed on roofs are hazardous.

Public complaints

The CM said that there have been complaints from the public about the services being provided to them, such as the issuance of birth/death/heirship certificates.

He added that he wants to strengthen the certification system by the KMC, towns, union councils and even DC offices. He directed the CS to streamline and simplify the certification system, including that for issuing domiciles and PRCs, and report to him on it.

Water shortage

The CM was told that the city is facing an acute water shortage, and that the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) is working on a plan to distribute water among the towns judicially.

The meeting was told that the plan’s implementation would overcome the water distribution problem. As far as the availability of water in the city is concerned, the CM was told that it is 590mgd, and a shortfall of 615mgd exists at present.

The CM said the government is laboriously working to add more water to the bulk supply system of the city, but it would take time, so the KWSC must improve its system to provide relief to the people.

Building violations

The CM was told that there are mainly five types of building violations: violation of compulsory open space within the plot line, construction of excess covered area within an approved number of floors by violating open ducts, violation of floors beyond the approved number, violation of the project’s approved parking and amenities, and misuse of the approved land use plan.

The CM directed the SBCA to start operations against illegal and unapproved constructions in the city, and submit the compliance report to him. “I’ll review the progress of the SBCA issues in the next meeting just after the 10th of Muharram.”

He directed the city commissioner to get all the unnecessary overhead cables removed from all the roads and streets. He directed the CS to have his order implemented, and keep reviewing the progress on it.