KARACHI, Feb 29: The Saddar Town administration on Sunday launched an anti-encroachment campaign in Ranchore Line. During the operation, more than 100 illegal road- side structures were removed from the locality.

For years, the footpaths near the Hoti Market roundabout have been occupied by vendors and hawkers, hardly leaving any space for the pedestrians to walk and virtually turned the market area a garbage dumping ground.

An official supervising the operation said that encroachers had occupied all the open space around the Hoti Market. He said that all road-side illegal structures would be removed to pave the way for smooth traffic flow. Moreover, he said that the anti- encroachment campaign had also been launched in Jinnah Street and Jamila Street.

Area people have been pressing the authorities for the removal of all sorts of encroachments from the locality for the last many years. According to them, the encroachment was the key factor in traffic congestion and environment degradation.

They welcomed the decision of Saddar Town Nazim Farooq Faria for successfully launching the operation without any pressure and expressed the hope that it would not be discontinued until all encroachments were removed from the area.

It may be recalled here that Hoti Market is a monumental bazaar constructed on Anglo-Indian style in Ranchore Line in 1926. It was named by the defunct KMC after Hasan Ali Hoti, a renowned philanthropist, who had donated the plot for the market.

The order for anti-encroachment operation was given by the town nazim in view of public complaints regarding insanitary conditions in the locality. Taking serious notice of the situation, the town municipal authorities had launched the operation to remove all sorts of encroachments from the area.

Illegal structures, pavements and shops were razed and more than 1,200 pushcarts, showcases, cabins and trolleys were confiscated, adds APP. The area police also apprehended violators of the rule, who attempted to resist the campaign.