KARACHI, Aug 15: Encroachments by vendors, push-carts on footpaths in Saddar, especially in market areas, and double car parking have been creating problems for people, hampering free movement of shoppers and pedestrians.

Vendors have encroached upon pavements on both sides of M A Jinnah Road creating obstacles in the smooth flow of traffic between Jama Cloth Market and Merewhether Tower.

At Boulton Market, Khajoor Bazar and Lea Market, which are the hub of commercial activity, where middle class buy items of daily use, traffic jams have become routine owing to road side vending business and encroachments.

Though the civic authorities have launched several campaigns for removal of illegal road-side structures in these

Market areas to widen roads and facilitate pedestrians and shoppers, at a number of places, the encroachers have resumed their operation.It is often seen that shopkeepers normally put their stocks and display boards on pavements and park their vehicles on the road causing problems for pedestrians as well as for those shoppers travelling in cars. Traffic chaos is witnessed even on link roads connecting the main markets.

In Lea market area, the situation is worst because of encroachment by transporters. Shopkeepers and vendors here , too, have occupied footpaths.