KARACHI, March 15: The Lyari Town administration has decided to take stern action against goods transporters in residential areas of the town, and has asked the city government to impose a ban on the activities of goods carriers, which have become a public nuisance.
A survey shows that hundreds of people, including pedestrians and motorists, are faced with a lot of problems due to traffic jams on the main streets because of the transporters’ loading and unloading activities.
In a letter to the District Coordination Officer, dated March 12, the Town Nazim has said that drastic actions are needed to improve the situation.
He said that section 144 be imposed for a week in the town for removal of goods transporters from residential areas.
The goods transporters, mostly operating in residential areas, have created a mess by blocking traffic flow on the main roads and side streets.
A chaos is witnessed during the peak hours of morning and evening when the upcountry transporters park their vehicles in the middle of the roads in violation of rules and blocking the traffic.
Worst traffic jams have become a daily occurrence in Chakiwara, Juna Kumarwara roads, Haat Chowk, Lea Market, Moosa Lane and Baghdadi areas, which are the hub of transport activities.
A ban had been imposed on the transporters in residential areas of the town in the past but the mafia every time flouted the ban.
In 1994, keeping in view the mounting public pressure, the defunct KMC had provided these transporters with alternative plots on cheap rates at the newly constructed Hawkesbay truck stand, but they have been availing the existing facilities as booking offices in the congested areas of the town.
Many attempts were made for shifting of the transporters’ business but all in vain.
The situation has aggravated because of an increase in the business of transporters, particularly those from Balochistan and NWFP, who have set up booking offices around the market areas, including the Sheedi Village Road and Haat Chowk.
In fact, they have converted the whole area into a big terminus and are carrying out their business day and night in connivance with the police.
Because of the hectic transport activity, the entire road network in the area has been in shambles and impassable, while noise pollution has reached to an alarming stage and has become a serious health problem.
In Lea Market and its adjoining areas, the transporters occupy every inch of land, including municipal footpaths, hardly leaving any place for pedestrians to walk during the peak hours.
Frequent traffic jams have become a regular feature on the roads because of illegal parking of vehicles. The residents alleged that thriving business, which runs into millions of rupees, has been going on for years with connivance of high officials.
It was for this reason, they argued, that not a single anti- encroachment drive was put into full operation even during the military regime.
They added that without support of the administration and the police, encroachers could not dare to stage a comeback and engage in the business.
According to an NGO activist, every inch of the land in and around the Lea Market and Haat Chowk is “allotted” to transporters, goods carriers, pushcart owners, hawkers and roadside vendors who bribe the police to carry out their specific business.
The residents said all the cosmetic anti-encroachment operations previously launched were proved to be an exercise in futility as every time the encroachers re-emerge.
