Anti-encroachment Tribunal Sindh on Monday halted demolition of houses along Karachi’s Gujjar Nullah while hearing a petition against the ongoing anti-encroachment operation.
The Judge of the tribunal ordered to remove markings for demolition from the leased houses. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) assured the tribunal in hearing that the leased houses will not be demolished during the anti-encroachment operation.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in its statesment said that removal of encroachment is the responsibility of the provincial government, ” while cleaning the drain is our task.”
The provincial government is also responsible to provide alternate place to the affected persons, the NDMA said in its reply to the tribunal.The tribunal also demanded a plan from the KMC for removal of encroachments and demolition of houses. The Anti-encroachment Tribunal adjourned further hearing of the case for 15 days.
After clearing the massive Gujjar Nullah in District Central of all soft encroachments, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had ended the first phase of its major operation last Saturday. Starting Monday (tomorrow), the municipal body is likely to start demolishing houses and commercial units.
Anti-Encroachment Senior Director Bashir Siddiqui said that the KMC had cleared a four-kilometre section of the storm water drain from Khamosh Colony to Haji Mureed Goth, adding that soft encroachments such as iron grills, kiosks, tea shops, stalls, pushcarts, cattle farms, wooden warehouses and shanties were removed.
He said that 100 feet of the area occupied by soft encroachments was cleared, adding that the KMC then started levelling the land so that its heavy machinery could enter the locality for the removal of hard encroachments.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued on Friday a notice to the provincial government to submit comments on a petition against the pedestrianization of Karachi’s iconic Burns Road food street.
This is a second petition challenging the Sindh government’s move to close the road for traffic after 6pm. The petitioner, a residents of the Burns Road area, stated before the court that the locals face hardships due to the closure of the road. His lawyer Hakim Ali contended that the road is being closed illegally.At this, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, who headed the two-judge bench that heard the case, questioned: “You want the food street meant for leisure and recreation closed?”
“There must be some facility for recreation for the people of Karachi. Where will they go?” he asked.After a preliminary hearing, the court directed the official respondents to file their response to the petition by March 9.
It is to note that from 10 January, 2021, Burns Road food street was designated for pedestrians to move around and enjoy yummy grub.Shahrah-e-Liaquat from Fresco to Court Road will remain blocked by 7pm for traffic, daily, as specified by UC administration South.Vehicles coming from Araam Bagh to Fresco will be diverted towards M.A Jinnah road and People’s Square instead.
The new food street will start from Fresco Chowk and go all the way to Fatima Jinnah Women’s College.
Residents will be provided stickers as proof of vehicle parking, the district administration announced.
