KARACHI, July 14: Demolition squad of the Karachi Building Control Authority carried out a major operation against illegal construction and encroachment on both sides of the 1.5-km Khalid Bin Walid Road and completely dismantled ramps of showrooms along it.

The squad was equipped with four bulldozers, two dumper trucks, four fork-lifters and accompanied a 50-men strong team of labourers.

The KBCA had repeatedly been informing encroachers that as per the decision of the Supreme Court, footpaths were meant only for pedestrians and no construction or encroachment could be made on them.

A portion of a restaurant, built illegally on a footpath at the corner of the road off Shahrah-i-Quaideen was among the structures demolished.

The KBCA has pointed out that most of the car showrooms are functioning on residential plots which is totally illegal. Even if the residential plots are converted into commercial ones, no one may be allowed to use footpaths for parking the cars for sale.

The residents of Khalid Bin Walid Road have welcomed the KBCA action whereas the office-bearers of the All Karachi Motor Dealers Association have condemned the action against car showrooms.

The association argued that there was no legal ground for the KBCA action as the footpaths fell under the purview of the city government.

It recalled that the issue had amicably been resolved during a meeting with the chief controller on July 11. The action shows that the business community is being subjected to victimization, it deplored and appealed to the city Nazim and chief controller to stop any further action immediately.

CITY NAZIM: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan has not issued any special directive to the KBCA for some operation or demolition of buildings in any particular area of the city, according to a spokesman for the Nazim. The spokesman clarified on Monday that the KBCA was undertaking all the operations on its own.