Mobile puncture shop eases commuters' woes

The poor condition of the city's roads has not only made life miserable for commuters but also given rise to a new kind of street-level business. With potholes, broken surfaces and scattered stones turning tyre punctures into a daily ordeal for bikers and rickshaw drivers, a Liaquatabad resident has found an innovative way to make ends meet - a mobile puncture shop.

Muhammad Saleem, 45, once ran a small puncture shop at Sindhi Hotel but was forced to shut it down as rising rent and electricity bills - over Rs25,000 a month - pushed him into debt. "When the shop closed, my family often had to go without food. The expenses of rent, school fees and daily needs were unbearable," he recalled.

Desperate, Saleem took up wage work at another puncture shop, toiling 14 hours a day for Rs1,000, but still failed to cover household expenses. It was then that his wife suggested a different approach. Inspired by the sight of a burger cart in a rickshaw, she advised him to start a mobile puncture service.

"She sold her jewellery for Rs200,000. I bought an old rickshaw for Rs120,000 and converted it into a workshop," Saleem said. "This was a turning point. Her idea gave me hope when I had lost everything."

With a small cabin built in the rickshaw, equipped with a pressure pump, puncture machine and tools, the business was launched at Liaquatabad's 10 Number Bridge. The mobile shop, which cost around Rs250,000 to set up, now operates daily from 8am to 10pm, serving mostly motorcyclists and rickshaw drivers.

His son Babar works alongside him, fixing punctures for Rs100 apiece, earning the family Rs2,000 or more a day. "The work is tough, but at least we are independent now," said Saleem.

The demand has risen sharply. According to Saleem, puncture complaints have increased by 25-30 per cent since the recent rains, which worsened Karachi's battered infrastructure. "Potholes, sewage and broken roads make it impossible for bikers. Every other day their tyres get damaged," he said.

Customers say the service has been a relief. "Motorcycles are a blessing for us, but a flat tyre can be a nightmare, especially for women," said Najma Shafiq, a student who got her bike repaired at Saleem's mobile shop. "It is a lifesaver to have someone nearby."

Bikers like Bilal Tahir, who faces frequent punctures, also see the shop as a necessity. "The government must repair roads, but until then, mobile services like this are our only solution," he said.

Saleem now dreams of expanding. He plans to install solar panels to power his equipment and hopes the government will one day support small entrepreneurs like him through skill development and interest-free loans. "Unemployment is the biggest problem. With a little support, young people can start small businesses and stand on their own feet," he said.