KARACHI, June 5: Flouting of traffic rules by transport mafia at the Lea Market area of the city, along with condoning attitude of traffic police, are causing immense inconvenience to local people, it is learnt.

All types of vehicles from various city routes and from upcountry, arrive or depart here and the whole area has been virtually converted into a huge bus-stand, where the transport mafia reigns supreme.

The traffic mess can be witnessed during the peak hours of morning and evening, when the vehicles going upcountry are parked in the middle of the roads, blocking the traffic in complete violation of rules.

The area people allege that police take no action because it act in collusion with the transport mafia, which has become so powerful that it now controls all the routes in the surroundings of the market where they park their vehicles without fearing any authority.

Admitting that they have failed to shift the transport business from residential areas, the municipal authorities have accused the police of non-cooperation.

According to a survey conducted recently, the Lea Market has turned into one of those busy spots in the city where a number of local inter-city and inter-province buses and mini-buses either terminate or start their journey.

Besides, a number of public transport vehicles, make their intermediate stops here or pass through the market, making the area one of the most congested, in the city.

As the number of buses is rapidly increasing, the space for parking is becoming more and more insufficient. All the open spaces previously used for parking purposes now have buildings on them, leaving bus-operators with no choice for parking, other than on the roadside.

The local buses plying to and from the area, mostly go or come from Landhi, Malir, Quaidabad, Gadap and Korangi.

The buses for inter-city routes arrive here mainly from the interior of Sindh, i.e, Thatta, Sujawal, Banu, Sewan etc. There is a small open plot available for parking these buses.

Buses here also arrive from or depart for various cities of Balochistan and the NWFP, including Hub, Lasbela, Khuzdar, Turbat, Quetta, Gwadur and Peshawar.

During the past decade the number of these buses had increased manifold, as a large number of workers came here for their journey to Hub and Bela.

These buses are parked at Sheedi Village Road and Chawkiwara Road and are now gradually encroaching upon the old tonga-stand.

Almost every building around the Lea Market has a warehouse or some storage facility on its ground floor, inviting a large number of trucks in the area for loading or unloading goods.

The activity goes on day and night, causing traffic congestion air and noise pollution.

The residents have demanded that the movement of these trucks be banned during daytime or the warehouses be shifted outside the city.

Moreover, there is a wholesale milk market in the area. The pickup trucks, which bring milk from various spots on the main roundabout of the Lea Market block, disturb the traffic flow for several hours, every day.

Restaurant owners and shopkeepers are paid for parking of the upcountry buses in front of their business places.

The market was developed by the British as a local market and until 1960s the market and its surrounding areas remained favourite shopping spots for the middle and low-income groups. People used to come here, not only from various parts of the city but also from the interior of Sindh and Balochistan, to by variety of things ranging from vegetables and fruits to cloths and jewels. But soon after the construction boom started in the 1970s, the area became congested and the situation has been worsening since then.—PPI