KARACHI, April 17: Shopping centres and bazaars in Karachi are facing massive power breakdowns and according to representatives of various market associations shopkeepers are reporting 40-50 per cent drop in sales, especially in peak business hours, which start after the sunset due to scorching heat wave.
On the contrary except for two industrial areas -- Site and Korangi, industrial areas like North Karachi and F.B. Area are facing power breakdowns. Representatives of various market bodies said that very few shopkeepers had stand-by generators and UPS but they did not work in longer duration of power failures. Even low voltage and power fluctuations had almost suspended the working of lifts and air conditioners. They said that traders return their home without any substantial income from sales.
Chairman Tariq Road Action Committee (TRAC) Siddiq Memon said that the area had been suffering six-hour power outages daily for the last one week.
Even at the peak hours of shopping when consumers throng the markets after sunset the area plunges into darkness. Tariq Road has 40 shopping centres and 45 different kinds of bazaars. As many as 250,000 workers are employed in these markets and bazaars. “The cumulative loss of all shopkeepers in the area comes to Rs50 million a day,” he added.
“Only 30 per cent shopkeepers have power generators but one cannot run these for the whole day as it consumes petrol and diesel whose prices are also high,” he said adding that out of 40 some six shopping centres have power generators.
The Tariq Road traders have given 72 hours ultimatum to the KESC to rectify the situation otherwise traders will bring out rallies to record their protest, he said.
Chairman Alliance of Market Association (AMA) Atiq Mir said that city’s markets undergo load shedding three times a day of various durations. “Shopkeepers have lost 40 per cent of their business,” he said. He claimed that hardly five per cent shopkeepers in city’s total 500 markets have got their own generators while there are hardly few shop owners who rely on UPS. The loss per day in terms of sales ranges between Rs1 billion to Rs1.5 billion due to load shedding.
President Saddar Cooperative Market Society Mohamamd Feroz said that the market has been facing twice load shedding of two hours each (morning and evening at peak business hours). Out of 900 shops, including the basement – some 70-80 shops have generators while the Society has also got the market generator but it cannot be run for longer hours.
Senior Vice-Chairman Saddar Alliance of Market Association Abdul Samad Khan said that hardly 10 per cent shopkeepers on Abdullah Haroon Road and Zainbunisa Street have their own generators. Areas like Zainab Market, Victoria Centre, Panorama Centre and Rex Centre have been facing three to four hours power failure twice a day including one after the sunset. “Our business has reduced by 50 per cent,” he added.
INDUSTRY: Chairman Site Association of Industry Imran Shaukat said that Site area has so far been free from any load shedding.
He added that the KESC higher ups had planned to maintain frequent power supply to the industrial areas aimed at maintaining a momentum in daily productivity. Site has 3,500 industrial units in which 15-20 per cent large units have power generators.
Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Masood Naqi said that the area has not been facing load shedding. Even on Tuesday power supply has been normal and satisfactory.
President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Majyd Aziz said that the Chamber has invited the new KESC boss to discuss the future strategy aimed at controlling frequent power breakdowns and voltage fluctuations.
Chairman North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) Faraz Mirza said that there have been power breakdowns of three hours twice a day. He said out of 2,000-2,500 units only 40 per cent units have power generators.
Vice-Chairman F.B. Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI) Muzzamil Hussain said that area has been facing one and a half hour power failure twice a day. He added that there has been a problem of voltage drop in which sophisticated machines cannot be operated.
