Karachi's Go Aish park closed over unpaid dues

KMC director says privately-run recreational facility had outstanding dues of Rs1.8 million since last six months

KARACHI: The city’s only adventure park, Go Aish Karachi, was closed down on Saturday by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) due to non-payment of outstanding bills.

KMC’s director of culture, sports and recreation, Raza Abbas Rizvi, confirmed to The Express Tribune the park’s closure and said the private party operating Go Aish Karachi had outstanding dues of Rs1.8 million since last six months.



On a question regarding the reopening of the park, he said that once the dues are paid they would reopen the park or hand it over to some other contractor.

The adventure park is a privately-run recreational facility of Safari Park, which has remained controversial as it is a commercial venture on amenity land.

Earlier this month, the KMC decided to suspend the collection of charged parking fee across the city and instead collect charged parking fee along with the annual motor vehicle tax.

According to a press release, the orders were issued after local government minister Jam Khan Shoro announced its suspension, adding that KMC was currently providing charged parking facility at 41 different spots.



“With the charged parking, KMC earned Rs60 million annually,” said the statement, adding that at nine of these 41 spots, charged parking fee was collected through contractors. However, at other spots, KMC’s employees used to collect the fee.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2016.