Encroachments gobble up Saddar’s food street

Patharedars have tied ropes across the steel pillars, marking their territories

Karachi's first planned food street, recently established on Mir Karam Ali Khan Talpur Road, has fallen prey to encroachments, The Express Tribune has learnt.

It has been reported that shopkeepers and vendors have started parking their vehicles and pushcarts under the steel structure erected to house food kiosks. Moreover, local Patharedars (harbourers of criminals) have tied ropes across the steel pillars, marking their territories along the passage.

"This is my spot," said one of the Patharedars, laying his claim on a part of the street, tying his pushcart's chain to a pillar, when approached by The Express Tribune. Probed further, he got riled up and spat, "I don't pay anyone [for this place]. This is not a food street, but a market."

Located in the busy surroundings of Empress Market, the food street project was launched by former Sindh governor Ishratul Ebad in March 2014. Authorities, also seeing it as a means to resolve traffic problems and reduce air pollution in the heart of Karachi, aimed to complete it within two years.

However, like numerous other projects, it hit snags and after a delay of two years, its construction was finally completed in 2018.

Vendors' woes

Even then it has apparently failed to serve its purpose and proved more of a bane than a boon for vendors.

"Yes, it was completed in 2018, but [its purpose] never materialised," complained one of them, Salman Ahmed, to The Express Tribune.

According to him, most vendors are unhappy with the project. "We had been facing financial losses and hoped that the food street would provide some relief, but it has ruined us," he lamented.

Another vendor, Sarfaraz, pointed out that the street's passage once served as a route for multiple public buses including 19-D, 20, U-1, X-10, Mashraq Coach and 1-D.

"It used to be one of the busiest roads of Saddar but now all business activity has been disrupted [due to the hampering of public buses' route] and ill planning," he complained. "Everybody now eyes it as an opportunity for encroachment and see how they have destroyed a project worth millions," he said, gesturing at the condition of the "imported" lamps and the heavy metal steel structure.

Some of the street lamps have been damaged while the white paint is wearing off the steel pillars.

According to vendors, the lamps were lit just for few months after the street was established. "But now they are of no use," decried Ahmed, urging that the passageway be reopened for public buses. Then, at least, the traffic diverted to other roads will be able to run on the route again, he added.

The food street was conceived as part of a bigger plan to overhaul Saddar by rerouting public transport, developing the area into a traffic-free pedestrian zone, and establishing avenues for art, entertainment and cultural activities.

Assurances

Speaking in this regard, Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the initiative was in fact part of the bigger Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project (KNIP).

He said the project had been delayed because of funding issues and the matter was taken up with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a recent meeting, where the CM directed that business activities on the street be initiated soon.

The minister further stated that the street would be opened for the public in the evening, and hence would not hamper shopkeepers' business activities. He added that several other schemes initiated under the KNIP would be opened for the public soon too.

When asked about the encroachments, he said only that he was aware of the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2020.