Alternative spaces to be provided before demolishing shops: KMC

Karachi shopkeepers whose shops are marred due to the ongoing anti-encroachment drive by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation-KMC will be provided alternative spaces. 

“It has been decided as per policy that the government will manage the alternative spaces first before starting to demolish the markets,” stated KMC’s senior director anti-encroachment department Bashir Siddiqui.

The anti-encroachment department has dismantled around more than 2500 shops in various marketplaces which were built over stormwater drains since the start of the drive, in 2018 on the orders of the Supreme Court, claimed Siddiqui.

All these markets are in old city areas of the South District.

KMC follows the policy concerning the anti-encroachment campaign that has progressed in recent times during the control of former administrator Laeeq Ahmed, stated Siddiqui.

KMC Estate Department is tasked to make viability in terms of finding out alternate business spaces.

The senior director KMC stated that all markets built on stormwater drains will be dismantled, but there is no alternative plan in this view.

164 shops at Karachi Jubilee Market were demolished in July, it was the last anti-encroachment operation in a commercial area.

The markets which are in the list of KMC anti-encroachment departments for demolition are:

• Taj Mahal Market, MA Jinnah Road (108 shops over stormwater drain)
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• Aurangzeb Market, MA Jinnah Road (180)
• Bahadur Shah Zafar Market, MA Jinnah Road (148)
• Urdu Bazar Market, MA Jinnah Road (67)
• Akbar Road Market, Akbar Road (95)
• Madina Cloth Market, Lyari (137)
• Pichter Road Market, Lyari (102)
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According to the KMC record, there are 837 shops in various marketplaces of South District which are built on stormwater drains and such shops need to be bulldozed by relevant departments.

As per the KMC anti-encroachment campaign report following a number of shops have been dismantled in various markets including:

• Empress Market (547 shops)
• Umer Farooqi Market (603)
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• Mairak Market (176)
• Jahangir Park Market (151)
• Ali Dina Market (297)
• Jinnah Market (100)
• Regal Chowk Market (3)
• Zoological Garden Market (404)
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• Khori Garden Market (139)
• Nanakwara Market (19) shops
• Baloch Park Market (119)