KARACHI, Jan 23: A two-week time-frame has been set for goods transporters to shift their business from the residential areas of Lyari Town, it is learnt.

According to a municipal source, a meeting held on Wednesday discussed the problems created by the operation of goods carriers in the area.

The meeting was attended by the Nazims of all the union councils of the Town and representatives transport bodies and officials of Lyari Town.

The meeting was told that all goods transporters were allotted alternative plots at a cheaper rates in 1996 by the defunct KMC on a 100-acre land on the main Hawkesbay Road.

Regretfully, the meeting noted, these transporters had not shifted their business to the Hawkesbay truck stand despite the fact they had been repeatedly warned in this regard.

The elected representatives of local bodies said this had become a constant source of public nuisance as the transporters had occupied roads and streets unauthorisedly, which hindered the traffic flow.

The meeting was of the view that the goods transporters had no justification to stay in the residential areas and continue their business.

The representatives of the transporters demanded a time-frame to completely wrap up their business. After discussion it was decided that the representatives of goods transporters would put the issue before their association’s general body within two weeks to take a final decision on complete shifting of their business from the residential areas of Lyari Town.

The decades-old trucking business has defaced old city areas by damaging roads and other utility services. Despite repeated protests by the people for shifting of the business, the administration has unmoved against the powerful mafia.

Over the years, Lea Market and its adjoining residential areas had become a hub of transport activity. Saddar Town took a bold step a few months back against the powerful mafia in old city areas which comes under the jurisdiction of Saddar Town.

After the “successful operation” in Saddar Town area, the residents of Lyari Town have urged the municipal authorities to launch a similar operation in the locality.

In 1998, after a stern warning from the administration, nearly 80 per cent transporters shifted their business to the new site, but it could not affect their activities in the residential areas of Lyari.

There are four strong transport mafia operating in Lyari Town. These include Makran and Jhalawan mafia controlling the transport business right from Sheedi village to Chawkiwara Road, and the Frontier and Punjab mafia which controls the total Lea Market and its adjoining areas.

They have totally turned the Lea Market, Chawkiwara and Haat Chowk into warehousing and cargo handling terminals. This has congested the locality to an extent that much of this activity now takes place on footpaths and roads.