KARACHI: City Mayor Wasim Akhtar directed officials concerned to remove all encroachments from footpaths particularly in the commercial areas so that pedestrians could move freely.

Speaking at a meeting held at the KMC head office to resolve issues between various civic agencies, he said that many shopkeepers put their goods outside their shops encroaching upon major portions of footpaths which created difficulties for pedestrians as well as shoppers.

He said that encroachments should be removed immediately so that people could move around freely and enjoy walking and shopping in the improved environment.

He ordered that all shops and cabins that had been set up in and around bus stops be removed immediately so that passengers getting off or waiting for buses did not face any difficulties.

He also announced that from now on charges for keeping the building materials/generators, etc on pavement would be collected by the KMC and the DMCs would not interfere in KMC’s work of charge collection, etc.

He said that the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 had prescribed every organisation’s responsibilities, powers and jurisdictions very clearly and that all issues that emerged between various civic agencies could be resolved amicably if all the organisations followed the SLGA 2013.

Pointing out that revenue collection/generation was very important for any organisation to work efficiently, he urged all the organisations to improve their revenue collection efforts so that they had sufficient funds with which they could provide better facilities/improved civic amenities to the people.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017