KARACHI, March 9: Encroachment is still one of the biggest problems, and a thriving business, in Saddar and Lyari towns, involving millions of rupees.

A survey of shopping places in these towns shows that encroachers are busy in business as usual, despite the ongoing anti-encroachment drive launched by the Saddar Town municipal administration.

Indeed, the recently launched anti-encroachment drive in Saddar town produced some positive results in some parts of the town, particularly in Kharadar, Burns Road and Boulton market etc. But the administration has been facing strong resistance from some major spots such as Lea Market, Juna Market, Kori Garden, Ranchore Market’s Hoti Market area and Chemical Market on North Napier Road.

The municipal officials responsible for the anti-encroachment drive say they are under a lot of pressure. They also complain of the non-cooperation attitude of the law enforcement agencies.

According to them, the anti-encroachment operation is a risky task that cannot not be carried out without active cooperation of the police and the people. They add that whenever an operation is launched, unruly elements supported by influential people try to create a law and order problem.

The encroachers in Lyari Town have been given a free hand and they are doing business as usual without fear.

The Town administration has not come up with any effective programme to deal with the strong encroacher mafia. Most of the streets in the residential areas of the town are in virtual occupation of transporters and owners of auto-workshops, who carry out their business on municipal footpaths or roads.

The transporters, who reign supreme in the locality, have a control over all the market places, important roads, streets and congested areas of the town.

The residents of Fida Husain Shaikha Road, Mir Mohammad Baloch Road and D.D Chaudhry Road said that life had been made miserable because of the day and night activity of the transporters and owners of auto-mechanic workshops.

They say the municipal administration has proved that it cannot face the pressure of transporters and encroacher who continue to occupy a vast area of the municipal land worth of billions of rupees.

Land encroachment on the municipal and government plots is one of the major of problems in the area. A few years back, the defunct KMC’s anti-encroachment cell launched various campaigns against the encroacher mafia. But it could not achieve the desired objectives. It was noticed that after every operation the encroachers returned.

The residents have always accused the police and powerful political elements of collaborating with the encroachers.