KARACHI, Nov 2: The master plan of the New Sabzi Mandi on Super Highway has been submitted by the EDO, Master Plan Department, Atiq Baig, to the Governor Sindh, Dr Ishratul Ibad.

A total number of 4,348 approved shops and sheds have been shown in the plan with reports of their mushroom growth to about 10,000.

The master plan was submitted to the governor after the anti-corruption establishment came into the picture by arresting its key officials amidst reports of a large scale corruption in affairs of the mandi's committee, and issuance of allotments without any provision in the plan.

The over 100 per cent increase in the number of business stalls at the New Sabzi Mandi spoke volumes of the irregularities and encroachments there.

It had not only defaced the very concept of the project, financed by the Asian Development Bank, but had also turned it into a market place of some slum area devoid of civic amenities including car parking and free movement of stakeholders.

Following reports, and a probe into corruption and issuance of illegal allotments to the needy by unscrupulous elements of the committee, the ACE Inspector, Syed Aftab Ali Shah, got registered an FIR under section 161/420/468/471/477-A/34 PPC read with Section 5(2) of Act II of 1947 against 10 officials of the committee for causing loss of millions of rupees to the government exchequer.

Soon after the initiation of action, it was also learnt that the authorities took all relevant records into possession including the statement of accounts from the branch of Al-Habib Bank at the mandi.

They had also started summoning all stakeholders, who in the past had approached authorities about mismanagement and corruption.

Insiders at the New Sabzi Mandi told Dawn that the National Accountability Bureau had also moved and started investigation into bank accounts and assets of officials of the market committee. The bureau had also taken into possession the KBCA report on the Sabzi Mandi affairs.

It may be recalled that the legal allotees of the New Sabzi Mandi had recently approached the governor and other authorities. They had drawn the latters' attention towards their miseries pointing out that while the genuine traders were awaiting the approved plan to build their shops, encroachers were using political and other clouts defacing the project.

They lamented the inaction by relevant quarters even after orders from the governor, and from the then chief minister, Sardar Ali Muhammad Mahar, for implementing the provision of SLGO 2001. They demanded transfer of the New Sabzi Mandi management to the city government so that its affairs could be streamlined.

Besides, as per recommendations of the sub-committee, the chief minister had decided in principle to transfer the control of the New Sabzi Mandi to the district government to remove the anomalies, but the decision was held in abeyance.

As a result, problems of alights had multiplied manifold due to the slicing of plots from the open space meant for maintenance of traffic flow and for facilitation of visitors.

Stakeholders were of the view that corruption could not be checked until the New Sabzi Mandi was transferred to the city government.

They had also drawn the attention of the authorities that in the original layout plan, there were only 1,764 shops and auction sheds, which were later increased to 4,072 in 1996 in the revised plan. While in the plan submitted to the ombudsman, and in the Supreme Court, the total number of auction facilities at the mandi were increased to 4,348.