KARACHI, March 16: The upcountry transporters continue to operate their booking offices set up on encroached land in Lea Market area and ply large inter-city buses despite the alternative terminus provided to them by the city government at Moach and Yousaf goths.

A survey shows that Lea Market, once a trading and shopping centre, has been virtually converted into a bus terminus. Transporters have occupied the commercial area.

Flouting all municipal and traffic laws, the upcountry transporters run booking offices on footpaths and park buses on the main road.

The terminus has been causing hardships and inconvenience to pedestrians and commuters. Area people complain that despite their frequent hue and cry the authorities did not act to improve the situation which turns horrible at the rush hours.

A complete chaos is witnessed during the peak hours of morning and evening as transporters park buses in the middle of roads for booking purposes. It is even difficult to walk on footpaths in the area during the peak hours.

Local buses and minibuses plying from Landhi, Malir, Quaidabad, Gadap and Korangi terminate their journey here. All these buses are parked on the roadside, which is one of the main reasons of traffic congestion in the area.

Inter-city buses from the interior of Sindh, including Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Sehwan, also arrive here.

These buses are, however, generally parked in a small open plot in the area.

From various cities of Balochistan and the NWFP, including Hub, Lasbela, Khuzdar, Turbat, Peshawar, Quetta and Gwadar, inter-city buses terminate their journey at the illegal bus terminus of Lea Market area.

During the past decade the number of these buses has increased manifolds as a large number of workers come here for their onward journey to Hub and Bela.

Mostly upcountry transporters park around the intersection of Lea Market, Sheedi Village Road, Chawkiwara Road and Haat Chowk.

Though the city government had provided an alternative terminus to upcountry transporters, they continue their business as usual in the area.