KARACHI, Feb 8: Footpaths and turnings of busy roads are being encroached in various parts of the city, forcing pedestrians to walk on busy roads and causing hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic.

A visit to various city areas revealed that fast-food outlets and eateries have not only encroached upon pavements of busy roads, but also serve their customers on medians which divide main roads with service lanes, thus literally leaving no space for pedestrians to walk on footpaths and on medians.

At almost all such places where footpaths have been occupied for serving food, it not only presents an ugly sight to passers-by but a stinking atmosphere often prevails there.

The places where footpaths have almost vanished owing to their misuse by hoteliers and fast-food houses, can be seen at Mohammad Bin Qasim Road (formerly Burnes Road), Shahrah-i-Liaquat (from Fresco Chowk to Government College for Women, Frere Road), Gulshan-i-Iqbal (from Hassan Square to Ashfaq Mamorial hospital), Gulistan-i-Jauhar (from Jauhar More to Jauhar Chowrangi), a major portion of North Nazimabad’s major road (from Landhi Kotal roundabout to Five-Star traffic intersection), Federal B’ Area’s road which links Aisha Manzil traffic intersection with Muqqa Chowk and Hussainabad, Karimabad’s Meena Bazaar and Bazaar-i-Faisal, Jamshed Road, a major portion of PECHS’ Khalid Bin Waleed Road and New M A Jinnah Road.

A number of ice-cream parlours which have sprung up on either sides of Mohammd Bin Qasim Road, have not only illegally occupied footpaths but they also put up chairs and tables on at least two lanes for serving their customers, thereby reducing its width to half for the flow of vehicular traffic.

Another lane of the road has been encroached upon by pushcarts selling fruits and other eatable items.

A similar situation can be seen on busy Shahrah-i-Iraq (formerly Frere Road), especially between Fresco Chowk and Government College for Women, as fast-food and barbecue shops serve their clients on its footpath and a portion of the road, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road.

Whatever space which has not been encroached upon by hoterliers and barbecue shops has been occupied by cabins. Even those selling chicken and fish have occupied some portion of Mohammad Bin Qasim Road, creating unhygienic conditions in the area.

As far as Jamshed Road, PECHS’s Khalid Bin Waleed Road and New M A Jinnah Road are concerned, their footpaths have been heavily occupied by car showrooms which have sprung up in a large number.

Presently, almost entire New M A Jinnah Road (from Islamia College to Jail traffic intersection) was being utilized for parking vehicles by owners of car showrooms as the road had been lying dug up for the last six months and its reconstruction work is suspended since long.

The menace of roadside encroachments and illegal occupation of footpaths is assuming an alarming proportions, and the footpaths are being usurped with the connivance of the officials of the land departments concerned and the area police stations, which give one an impression as if the nazims and town municipal officers are least bothered about it although accidents involving pedestrians are increasing in the metropolis.