Hyderabad still in a mess due to encroachment

Elected representatives, TMCs yet to provide relief to people

HYDERABAD:

Despite the passage of several months after the elected representatives of the Municipal Corporations of Hyderabad have taken oath and Town Municipal Corporations (TMCs) have been established, the citizens do not see any progress in terms of improving municipal facilities and removing encroachments.

After the establishment of nine municipal towns in Hyderabad, the citizens were expecting, there will be a significant change in the situation regarding the provision of municipal facilities as a result of the transfer of municipal powers to the towns level but nothing has happened so far.

At present, on the one hand, the owners of various hotels in the city, allegedly colluding with the officials of the anti-encroachment cell, set up chairs and tables on the roads or intersections without fear and danger in the evening and run their business activities which were officially banned by the Sindh High Court, while on the other hand, Latifabad is highly affected because of the encroachments due to the widening of roads and intersections.

The shopkeepers and hotel owners on the various highways made a paved floor on the road, in addition to setting up stalls, chairs and tables for selling their goods, parking motorcycles and cars and repairing vehicles has also become a permanent practice. In some places, the flow of traffic has been greatly affected during busy hours.

The citizens claim that the officials of Anti-Encroachment Cell are patronizing the encroachments by collecting money from encroachers on monthly basis.

Mayor orders
anti-encroachment drive

Mayor Kashif Shoro on Monday chaired a meeting to clear encroachment from the second largest urban centre of the province.

The meeting was attended by various officials, including representatives from the traffic police, anti-encroachment force, and municipal authorities.

Read Encroachment removal deadline set

Mayor Shoro issued directives to eliminate encroachments around Bhitai Hospital, Latifabad and KKF Hospital to facilitate movement of ambulances and patients coming to to the health facilities with their attendants.

The discussion also highlighted problems caused by encroachments near fire brigade stations, leading to difficulties in deploying fire trucks. Additionally, complaints were raised about traffic jams near hospitals, schools, markets, and main roads due to encroachments, damaged roads, and debris.

Mayor Shoro emphasized the need to promptly resolve these issues on a large scale. He instructed that not only specific areas but also places like Tariq Road, Al-Rehman Shopping Center, Pakka Qila, Koh-e-Noor Road, and Station Road should undergo anti-encroachment operations. The mayor acknowledged the challenges posed by heavy traffic, especially near Benazir Bhutto Flyover.

Furthermore, the mayor called for collaboration among officials to maintain the city’s beauty and restore its original charm. He proposed the formation of a committee, including municipal commissioners, DSP Traffic Safety Committee chairman, Assistant Commissioner Anti-Encroachment, HMC and District Anti-Encroachment Cell, to address issues in each locality.

Mayor expressed the collective responsibility to enhance the city’s appeal and proposed the immediate removal of encroachments from ten roads in the first phase. The meeting was attended by town chairmen, SSP Asif Anwar, DSP Traffic Latifabad, City and TMO officers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2023.