Gujjar Nullah cleanup: Almost 700 houses, shops dislodged

Around 30,000 houses are built on the drain

KARACHI: Around 685 unauthorised houses and shops have been demolished in the last two weeks during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive along Gujjar Nullah.

This was stated by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) anti-encroachment director Mazhar Khan while speaking to The Express Tribune.

Due to the strict orders from higher authorities, the operation is being carried out on daily basis, he informed.

Speaking about the hurdles during the drive, he said there are around 30,000 houses on the nullah and when the drive started the residents would throw stones at KMC’s teams. “However, soon police and Rangers were asked to accompany the team and protect them”, he explained.

District Central deputy commissioner Fariduddin Mustufa, while commenting on the operation, added that the 13-km long Gujjar Nullah is one of the most important nullahs for drainage of rainwater and its encroachment can lead to urban flooding in the city.

The plan to reclaim the nullah is being implemented so that machineries could easily clean it before the rain comes again, he claimed.

Mustafa also mentioned that during the recent rains, the situation was much better as many encroachments at Gujjar Nullah had been removed and it was easily cleaned.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2016.