Siraj Kassam Teli, President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said in a meeting with the delegates of Old City Alliance of Market Association that authorities should deal with problems of encroachment and traffic congestion in market areas on priority basis.
He promised to take up the matter with DIG traffic to fix entry timings of heavy vehicular traffic in congested market areas to lessen the traffic congestion problem during market working hours.
The delegates under the leadership of Rafiq Jadoon apprised the KCCI president of the many problems the small traders and shop keepers face in relation to Income Tax Scrutiny System; large scale encroachments made by Patharedars in Saddar and other nearby market areas; and difficulties caused due to blocking of roads and accesses because of double parking of cars and vehicles permitted by the "Charged Parking Contractor" etc.
They requested the KCCI president to take up these issues with the concerned authorities. Expressing his astonishment on a complaint that traffic police lifter some time lifts away even those cars in which family members are sitting, the KCCI president condemned such acts of lifter operators.
Teli, agreeing with the delegates that traffic congestion is causing many problems, advised them to provide him a detailed proposal demarcating the "work areas" in each market where traffic should not enter during day time and enumerate distinctively the lanes and thoroughfares around such work areas through which the traffic should pass during markets' working hours, so that the concerned authorities may be advised to make a workable arrangement to avoid traffic congestion problem.
Teli also endorsed the idea to make a reference to the City Nazim and Saddar Town Nazim to arrange for removal of unauthorised encroachments in Saddar and adjoining Market areas.
Abdul Majid Memon, Chairman, Special Committee for Small Traders of KCCI was also present in the meeting.