Poor planning: Superstore creates traffic mess

Parking facility set up by Lyari River is illegal, says East deputy commissioner

KARACHI: A motorcycle screeches to a halt in front of the newly inaugurated Imtiaz Supermarket in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 2. A guard hops in front of the motorcycle and shouts, “This area is specifically for employees of Imtiaz Supermarket.”

He directs Amina and her husband towards Lyari River, flowing adjacent to the market, to park their motorcycle there. Traffic has become a nightmare ever since the inauguration of Imtiaz Supermarket on Friday. Long queues of vehicles were witnessed piling up from Gulshan Chowrangi all the way to Johar Morr on Friday and Saturday night. The superstore management could not be reached for an explanation.

‘Powerless’ police

All service roads leading to the supermarket seem to have been either barricaded or set aside for a parking facility for employees of the supermarket. Meanwhile, the traffic police appear to have failed to manage the flow of traffic in the vicinity.

A traffic cop in the area said they have ‘no power’ to clear the service road of the encroachment by the superstore. He said traffic police were only asked to manage the flow of vehicles outside the superstore. “The traffic has been in a miserable state for the last two days and we cannot do anything until you clear the area of encroachments,” he said.

Meanwhile, the section head of Gulshan Town’s traffic police, Alla Bux, said they could not seal the superstore. He said that they have written to East deputy commissioner Asif Jan Siddiqui about the matter and are awaiting his response.

Illegal parking

When contacted, Siddiqui told The Express Tribune he has summoned a meeting with all the owners of the superstores in the city on the directives of the commissioner on Tuesday. He said the owners of all superstores will be dealt with according to the law. However, on a question regarding encroaching on the service road, he said that has to be checked. As for the parking by the Lyari River, he pointed out that that was already banned by the city administration and if the supermarket was found giving a parking facility there, he will register an FIR against them.

The spokesperson of the Sindh Building Control Authority was unavailable for comment.

CM’s notice 

Taking notice of the massive traffic jams, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah asked the Karachi commissioner to take immediate action. He demanded how the nullahs and government lands are getting encroached upon in the city, asking the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to remain active and safeguard their lands.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2016.