Punitive action: Imtiaz store to stay closed for 6 hours every day

Decision made due to massive traffic jams caused by shoppers

KARACHI: Since the new Imtiaz Supermarket in Gulshan-e-Iqbal failed to expand parking for its shoppers, it will now be forced to stay shut from 3:30pm to 9:30pm every day starting Thursday.

The partial shutdown comes after several weeks of massive traffic jams on main Rashid Minhas Road where the store is located. In an undertaking given to District East deputy commissioner (DC) Asif Jan Siddiqui, the store management had promised to create parking space. The district authorities had directed the store management to silt the adjacent Lyari River bed and make space for cars.

On Monday, the DC office warned Imtiaz store to take action otherwise face closure. Since no action was taken, Gulzar-e-Hijri assistant commissioner Ishaq Dad exercised his magisterial powers and ordered the superstore remain close from 3:30pm to 9:30pm starting Thursday until further notice.

The order, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, mentions that the Imtiaz Supermarket was warned to find a solution to the parking and traffic problem emanating from their clientele.

In its earlier undertaking, the store management had told the DC that they have parking space for 300 vehicles within the premises of their newly inaugurated building. However, the notification added that the clientele of Imtiaz Supermarket has extended to over 700 to 800 vehicles and cars at a time. "Thus this is evident to believe that parking arrangement of that much requirement is not available to you," stated the order, adding that this is why there continues to be disturbance on Rashid Minhas Road.

The order went on to state that the district administration had no option but to order the closure of the store until the store prepares a comprehensive traffic management and parking plan duly approved by the senior director of the transport and communication department of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

Besides the closure timings, the store will be under the district administration's watch. "If the nuisance still continues, complete closure might be ordered," the order read.

However, KMC's transport and communication director Muhammad Athar told The Express Tribune that he has yet to receive any orders to monitor the parking plan for Imtiaz Supermarket. Once that happens, Athar said they will check and see if the supermarket is providing standard provisions for parking based on building size. It may be noted that Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) parking bylaws clearly state that for every 800 square-feet of floor area of retail shopping, a minimum of one motor vehicle parking should be provided.

Primarily, it is the responsibility of the SBCA to check if the superstore is providing parking space within the building, said Athar, adding that their team will also check how much space is available for off-street parking that may not hinder regular traffic.

If the parking space provided within the building is being used as godown then the SBCA can take action, said SBCA spokesperson Engineer Farhan Qaiser. But Qaiser was not sure if Imtiaz has turned its parking lot into a warehouse.

There is a three-floor parking space within the building where Imtiaz Supermarket is located, he added. Half of the parking space is for the residents of the apartments located above the store whereas half is for the supermarket shoppers, he pointed out. "But if half the city throngs to the supermarket due to Ramanzan, then what can be done?"

Meanwhile, Gulshan-e-Iqbal assistant commissioner Shoukat Ali Ujjan told The Express Tribune that if the superstore opens in violation of the order, an FIR will be lodged against them. He said that the superstore will have to provide parking space within its building.

Another branch of the Imtiaz Supermarket in Nazimabad has also taken over a playground in front it for parking purposes but the management of Imtiaz Supermarket was unavailable for comments.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2016.