As many as 150 shopkeepers who had their shops inside Empress Market are given alternatives whereas those affected by KMC drive against encroachment will be given alternates in three phases for their shops outside of the market. Those affected in the said drive in and outside of the iconic Empress Market will be given shops in the parking plaza in first phase, then in the nearest KMC markets and in the third phase the government will provide land to shopkeepers so they could construct shops there.
It was decided at a high-level meeting co-chaired by Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and Commissioner Iftikhar Ahmed Shalwani at the Commissioner Office, said a statement on Friday. Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saif-ur-Rehman and representatives of all other civic organisations also attended the meeting.
It was also decided that all concrete structures or other encroachments over city drains, footpaths, parks and roundabouts would be removed, immediately, no matter under which jurisdiction they are situated.
Action will be taken on M.A Jinnah Road, Aram Bagh, Jamia Cloth Market, Khori Garden, Lea Market and other areas for removal of encroachments. Banks and other such organisations will also have to face this action, which have set up their power generators or established parking sites on city footpaths and did not shift or remove it in three days.
During the meeting, police and rangers were thanked for providing cooperation in this campaign against encroachments. It was decided to further pace up the action and lodge FIR against those impeding the government works. Later, Mayor Wasim Akhtar along with Commissioner Iftikhar Ali Shalwani and Metropolitan Commissioner visited the internal and outer side of the Empress Market in Saddar and reviewed the situation there.
Talking to the media representatives, Waseem Akhter said the campaign was not initiated by a single organisation or person but was coordinated by various responsible organisations on the directive of the Supreme Court. All decisions about anti-encroachment operation were made in consultation with all these organisations and provincial minister for local government Saeed Ghani was also taken into confidence.
"The promise made by the Commissioner with the affected of Empress Market drive will be honoured, the debris and waste in an around the Empress Market has been lifted and next planning was also chalked out," he said.
Waseem said now action against encroachments over city drains and footpaths was initiated without seeing the jurisdiction of any organisation. He said those cooperated in this campaign would not be abandoned and they would be provided with alternative place for their business. He also thanked the Bahria Town for providing machinery for lifting of debris from Empress Market.
The Mayor also visited the Parking Plaza in Saddar along with the Commissioner Karachi and enquired about the facility. He said cleaning work in the Parking Plaza Saddar would be performed soon.