KARACHI: Vital Lyari artery in dilapidated condition
By Latif Baloch
KARACHI, April 23: A vital artery linking the old city area of Lyari Town with Saddar, Keamari and Site towns is in a dilapidated condition, creating numerous problems for people, particularly the residents of Lyari Town.
Previously known as Atmaram Preetam Das Road and now renamed as Shah Latif Bhittai Road, it is one of the oldest and busiest roads in Lyari and houses a number of public and private educational and medical centres.
Area people said as this main road had not been maintained properly in the past, it had developed potholes at many places. They pointed out that its portion between the Government Technical School and Jan Bai Maternity Home, and further up to the Aga Khan School near Kharadar crossing remained in a deplorable condition for many years. No big or small vehicle could move on the road smoothly and safely.
They complained that the improvement work on the artery’s portion between Bihar Colony up to the Government Technical School near slaughterhouse, had started some time back, but no tangible progress had been made because of an abrupt halt to it. It also appeared that no proper planning had been done by the concerned agency of the city government.
A survey shows a complete chaos prevailing over the road day and night, disturbing people’s normal civic life. All appeals made by people for the maintenance and repair of the road have gone unheeded, according to the local people.
This vital artery of about 10-kilometre length has no footpath at many of its portions. As such, pedestrians, particularly women and children, cannot walk safely on it.
At most of the places, the footpaths are completely encroached upon by vendors, pan shops, auto rickshaw workshops, food stalls, etc., leaving no space for pedestrians to walk through.
According to the Baghdadi Mohalla Committee, the situation is worst at the Moosa Lane portion. They recalled that about four years back, a drain along the roadside had been dug up by authorities of the city government between the Lucky Arcade, Moosa Lane, and Jan Bai Maternity Home, Kharadar, but the same had been left unattended and no uplift work had since been undertaken. It appears that the concerned civic agency has forgotten this important project after carrying out the digging.
The residents have urged the city government to conduct an inquiry into the affair and direct the departments concerned to resume the left-over work.
WATER SHORTAGE: The committee members have also drawn the city government’s attention to the chronic water shortage problem in some parts of Baghdadi Union Council areas.
In a communication sent to the governor and chief minister, they pointed out that a few buildings of D.D. Chaudhry Road, including Haji Saleh Building, Bhutto House, Yaqub Sonara Building, Haji Attu Building and Baitul Hashim, had always remained hard-hit by the shortage.
Moreover, they said, the area’s sewerage system had turned obsolete. It would collapse repeatedly and needed to be replaced.
