Land mafia in action in alleged connivance with KDA officials

A group of corrupt officials from the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) is alleged to have illicitly sold off roads, footpaths, central belts, service roads, and parks in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, sources within the authority told The Express Tribune.

They further revealed that encroachers are using containers to seize portions of roads. Restaurants and fast-food outlets have emerged by placing containers on service roads, central belts, and park lands.

They claimed that paved shops constructed with iron angles have emerged on service roads, footpaths, and park lands, despite the director of parks issuing a letter to the KDA director general and the State and Enforcement Department for action, but nothing has been done thus far.

The KDA director general, local government's minister and secretary, and other authorities remain silent. Citizens are demanding immediate intervention from the Sindh chief minister, and strict action against the officers responsible for this encroachment on the state properties.

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The source further revealed that due to the inattention of the caretaker government, the corrupt mafia within the KDA has launched a new wave of encroachments on parkland, roads, footpaths, service roads, and central belts in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

Hotels and food chains are being established on the streets by replacing entire containers instead of stalls, push carts, or cabins, with several parks having their land occupied.

The encroachments have emerged along the road leading from the Jauhar Chowring flyover to Munawar Chowring and Kamran Chowrangi in Gulistan-e-Jauhar. Plots of parks between flats on these main roads are being occupied, and the land mafia is constructing hotels with containers.

A shop is under construction on the service road by installing iron angles around Munawar Chowrangi. Similarly, the service road from Munawar Chowrangi to Kamran Chowrangi has been besieged by encroachment mafias, with a well-known food chain enclosing the entire service road with containers and occupying the parks, even constructing a dining area there.

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According to officers from the State and Enforcement Department, the land of the parks or the service road has not been allotted to anyone, and there is no legal possibility for these occupations.

The sources suggest that KDA officials have turned a blind eye, allegedly accepting millions of rupees in bribe in return for the encroachments. As a result, the land mafia has taken over all roads, footpaths, service roads, and central belts of Gulistan-e-Jauhar. LPG cylinders, fruit and vegetable stalls, and cabins have also been set up in parks and nursery areas.

KDA's director parks sent a letter to the director general, chief engineer, and director E&E on November 1, seeking immediate action against the encroachments. However, the authorities have not taken any notice.

The current situation has caused serious concern among the local residents. They are demanding immediate action from the provincial high-ups, including the chief minister. Investigative agencies have also been urged to conduct an immediate investigation into the said encroachments and take swift action against the implicated officers.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2023.