KARACHI: Overflowing gutters and broken roads and footpaths near the Parking Plaza in Lines Area near Saddar are causing a great deal of problems for a large number of motorists, commuters and pedestrians.

Traffic flow remains choked near the Parking Plaza due to the broken road, overflowing gutters, illegal motor mechanic shops repairing vehicles on road and footpaths, and other illegal shops on footpaths, including teashops and furniture sellers.

A huge garbage dump just in front of a local girls’ college and a main mosque poses a big question mark over the performance of the civic agencies concerned.

The road just behind the Par­king Plaza has been encroached upon by commercial washermen, who have set up illegal structures on its footpaths badly clogging traffic flow.

These illegal laundry facilities are the main cause of choked sewerage system in the area as they freely discharge not only laundry wastes, but also garbage and filth into sewage lines.

Dengue, malaria and other diseases are on the rise in this heavily populated area, but the departments concerned are yet to devise ways and means to improve sanitation situation here. The Parking Plaza, itself, is a sorry picture of sheer neglect of authorities.

The two-storey modern shopping plaza is yet to be utilised by the KMC to earn much-needed revenue.

It has been suggested by citizens that the KMC can also use this two-storey shopping plaza as a service, complaint and billing centre to help Karachiites, but the officials running the KMC lack such vision.

The citizens have asked the authorities concerned to get the broken roads and footpath repaired, besides ensuring a proper mechanism for opening of choked gutters and regular collection of garbage.

They have also appealed to the authorities concerned to shift the garbage dump near the girls’ college, besides razing to the ground all sorts of encroachments and illegal structures in this congested area and nearby streets on priority basis.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2018