Encroachments choke city despite govt promises

CM says 15 major roads to be cleared in the first phase of campaign

KARACHI:

Encroachments choke the city's roads, markets, and neighbourhoods despite repeated promises by the Sindh government, the Karachi commissioner, and the city mayor. What were supposed to be sweeping anti-encroachment drives have turned into cosmetic operations leaving traffic chaos and civic misery as part of daily life for millions of peoples.

Sources told The Express Tribune that both the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's (KMC) anti-encroachment department and the 25 town administrations routinely conduct "showpiece" raids. Pushcarts and stalls are removed in front of the media, but soon return-allegedly after bribes are paid. Shopkeepers and street vendors claimed that officials from KMC, town administrations, and even traffic police collect "weekly, fortnightly, or monthly protection money" to allow them to continue occupying public space.

Major arteries remain clogged with permanent encroachments. University Road, already under stress due to the Red Line project, is riddled with obstructions at Old Sabzi Mandi, Hasan Square, and Safora Chowrangi. Similar conditions persist at Liaquatabad No 10, Karimabad, Teen Hatti, Gurumandir, Water Pump, and Landhi-Korangi corridors. In Saddar, encroachments occupy virtually every road, turning a few minutes' journey into hours during rush hours. Rashid Minhas Road, from Johar Mor to Johar Chowrangi, is so congested with illegal stalls and haphazard parking that even footpaths are unusable.

The Old City Area and dense neighbourhoods like Orangi Town and Baldia Town face even harsher conditions. Narrow lanes are blocked with pushcarts, leaving motorcyclists struggling to pass and car drivers virtually stranded. Citizens complain that in many towns, municipal staff openly sell the right to set up a pushcart or stall for up to Rs10,000.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had announced that 15 major city roads would be cleared of encroachments in the first phase of a special campaign. Similarly, Commissioner Hasan Naqvi launched an anti-encroachment drive. Yet both initiatives have yielded little change on the ground.

For the residents, the result is unbearable - endless traffic jams, blocked footpaths, and a daily struggle to move around the city. Civic activists argue that unless institutional corruption and official patronage are dismantled, Karachi will remain trapped in what many describe as an "encroachment mafia."