KMC conducts anti-encroachment drive in three districts

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) conducted a major anti-encroachment operation on Friday in three districts of the city on directives issued by Administrator Laeeq Ahmed.

According to details shared by senior director for anti-encroachment Bashir Siddiqui, the operation was carried out in major markets, thoroughfares and streets of the Central, East and South districts.

In District Central’s North Karachi area, all the way from Power House Chowrangi till Nagan Chowrangi, all kinds of commercial encroachments were removed. “Pushcarts, cabins, grills, chairs, tables and kiosks on roads and footpaths were removed,” Siddiqui said, adding that sunshades which were protruding onto roads were also brought down by KMC officials.

Gas cylinders and puncture shops which had their accessories on roads were all confiscated and moved to the KMC’s workshops and godowns. The director central for the anti-encroachment department, Kamran Alvi, and Deputy Director Younus Khan supervised the operation with the help of law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, in District Central’s North Karachi’s Sector-I, near Siddiq-e-Akbar Masjid and in the Motorcycle Market at UP Morr, another major operation was conducted in which gas cylinders, old parked cars were confiscated by the department.

During the operation, Siddiqui said a KMC city warden was wounded when a sunshade fell on him. “The warden was immediately shifted to hospital,” he said. In District East, the anti-encroachment operation was carried out in Tariq Road, Jamshed Road, Guru Mandir and Sindhi Muslim Society areas. Heavy generators which were occupying space on footpaths were all confiscated. The generators mostly belonged to restaurants around the Sindhi Muslim Society roundabout. Deputy Director Ameen Lakhani supervised the operation.

Around the Guru Mandir area, Siddiqui said, cabins, betel and paan kiosks, and tables and chairs of restaurants and teashops were all removed. Meanwhile, sunshades, iron grills and stair protruding onto roads and footpaths were all demolished.

In District South, the operation was conducted in Kaghaz Bazaar and Plastic Market. Siddiqui shared how accessories of shops, which were occupying space on roads and footpaths, in the two markets, were all confiscated, and several stoves, chairs and tables of restaurants were removed as well.