More than 900 shops allotted at Zulfiqarabad oil terminal

The shifting of oil tankers away from the residential Shireen Jinnah Colony is set to begin as more than 900 shopkeepers involved in various oil tanker services were allotted shops at the new Zulfiqarabad Oil Tankers Terminal through a ballot on Tuesday.

Mayor Wasim Akhtar inaugurated the balloting at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s head office. Addressing the ceremony, the mayor said that 918 shopkeepers of Shireen Jinnah Colony who were now shifting to the Zulfiqarabad Oil Tankers Terminal had been allotted shops on Tuesday. Of these, the possession of 427 shops will be handed over within three days while the remaining will be given in the next phase.

According to the mayor, the allotment process has been made transparent to avoid any complaint. He said a sub-fire station will soon be set up at the Zulfiqarabad terminal and security cameras would be installed to ensure security.

Akhtar urged oil companies to immediately set up their desks at the new terminal and start working without delay as they also have this responsibility. “We have struggled for the completion of this project, which was started in 1997 and took a long time to complete,” he said. “The delay was due to non-seriousness towards Karachi’s issues even though problems of Karachi must be addressed immediately.”

Mayor Akhtar said he had also communicated to the prime minister that Karachi provides revenue for the whole country, therefore, its issues must be solved without delay. Terming the completion of the terminal the fruit of collective efforts and teamwork, he said KMC worked with the commissioner’s office for this purpose and completed the work, which is a good example for other departments.

Giving details of the project, Raza Abbas Rizvi, the terminal’s director, said that the completion of the parking terminal for oil tankers would enable the smooth flow of traffic on city roads.

He said the terminal has the capacity to hold 3,200 oil tankers and all facilities have been provided to drivers which include mosque, rest area, canteen, bathrooms, and service and maintenance shops for tankers.

This terminal will have 140 toilets and a police kiosk, while a 36-feet wide road has been constructed along with oil tanker parking terminal and six time zones have been fixed for tankers’ filling, he added.

South Deputy Commissioner Syed Salahuddin, Malir Deputy Commissioner Shahzad Warsi, City Council Parliamentary leader Aslam Shah Afridi, Chairman Land Committee of the City Council Syed Arshad Hassan, office-bearers of Shireen Jinnah Colony Shopkeepers Association and a large number of shopkeepers were present on this occasion.

Speaking to reporters after the balloting, Mayor Akhtar said criticism of the anti-encroachment drive was unfair as encroachments from footpaths, parks and drains were being removed on the orders of the Supreme Court and improvement can be seen in the city. “Only those who want cheap publicity are doing this,” he said.

The mayor added that no injustice would be done to any shopkeeper during the drive and all traders were in touch with the authorities. This situation has resulted from the negligence of many departments, including KMC, in the past 50 years, and it needs to be corrected now, Akhtar said.