Shopkeepers at various markets in federal capital are either encroaching on pavements in front of their shops or renting the space out to vendors, causing immense difficulties for shoppers. It is the responsibility of Capital Development Authority's Enforcement Directorate to ensure that there is no encroachment and shopkeepers could not sell or rent the space that did not belong to them.
According to a survey conducted by Business Recorder, shopkeepers and restaurant owners in different markets of the city including Karachi Company, Abpara and Melody as well as Super and Jinnah Supper markets have placed their goods on pavements in front of their shops or rented the space to hawkers in violation of CDA's byelaws. The small vendors routinely encroach on pavements in front of different shops besides setting up stalls on roads, forcing pedestrians to walk in the middle of roads, hindering traffic flow and causing accidents.
Abpara and Karachi Company are the oldest and busiest business centres of the city, where the shoppers are now facing immense difficulties due to encroachments. An official source told Business Recorder that CDA officials were complicit in such encroachments. A number of visitors criticised the CDA for not taking any action against shopkeepers who had encroached on corridors and footpaths. They said it had become a nuisance to shop in Karachi Company, Melody and Aabpara markets.
When contacted, CDA spokesman Asim Kichi said the Authority was regularly conducting operations in different markets to keep the roads and footpaths clear from encroachers. "The CDA's Enforcement Directorate has warned shopkeepers and vendors at different markets not to encroach on footpaths otherwise strict action would be taken against them," he said. He said CDA conducted grand operation in Fiazabad against encroachment and had removed all encroachment from there.