Roadside vendors, push carts choking markets during Ramazan

Anti-encroachment operations in the city achieved no gains, say traders

KARACHI: As Eidul Fitr approaches near, many roads of Karachi give the look of makeshift markets as push carts, roadside vendors and encroachments have increased manifold.

In many markets, numbers of roadside vendors are more than proper shops. The area of Saddar area has been affected most by the push carts and roadside vendors, while situation in other areas of the city, including Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Orangi Town, North Karachi, Landhi, Korangi and industrial areas, looks no different.

It has been reported that authorities have been collecting amounts ranging between Rs200 and Rs1,000 as a bribe from each roadside vendor to allow them to carry out their business on roads. Due to illegal charged parking, push carts, cabins, encroachments, illegal occupations and car lifting, police and other authorities are extracting approximately Rs250 million from public on a daily basis.

According to small traders, these illegal activities being carried out on a large scale suggest that influential hands are behind them. The traders complain that one can freely do illegal businesses in the city, whereas, those who want to follow a legal path have to face many hurdles.



According to a survey, there are more than 700 markets in Karachi and the number of small and big shops in the city is around five million, however, the number of businesses that rely on encroachments and illegal land grabbing exceed 10 million.

All Karachi Traders Union Chairperson Ateeq Mir told Express News that the illegal business network is so strong in the city that it has rendered the anti-encroachment operation meaningless. He blamed corrupt officers in different government departments for being responsible for the failure of anti-encroachment operations.

According to Mir, no success was gained despite large scale anti-encroachment operations in the city because the encroachments always reappeared a few days after they were removed. He stressed the need for effective monitoring in areas where encroachments are removed.

Illegal encroachments on footpaths and streets also obstruct the flow of traffic and hardly leave any space for car parking. What is needed is a determined operation against the encroachments in order to defeat the mafia of road vendors. Corrupt officers who try to impede such operations should be removed from their posts.



Encroachments  on MA Jinnah Road, Nishtar Road, Garden Road, Saddar, Tariq Road, Haidery, Nazimabad, Landhi, Malir, Orangi Town, Old City Area, Liaquatabad, Burnes Road, Jama Cloth, Jubilee and other areas need to be immediately removed.

Illegal extensions of shops and houses on streets should be demolished. The trader community should also be bound to keep their businesses limited to their allotted capacity.

To provide relief to people of Karachi, a strict operation against elements causing hindrances in traffic flow has become necessary. Traders should support such operation and take an initiative of removing the illegal extensions of their shops themselves. It should be ensured that all footpaths are available for the pedestrians.

Traders should realise that their businesses will flourish if the traffic flow is not obstructed. Compressed streets due to encroachments and occupied footpaths harm businesses.



However, while planning anti-encroachment operations, the provincial government and its institutions should provide an alternative space for the roadside vendors and push carts as without doing so millions will be deprived of their source of earning. The government should identify locations where traffic congestion is not an issue and transfer the roadside vendors to such sites.