THIS is with reference to the article ‘One year later’ (Dec 1). I have witnessed Empress Market’s glory and subsequent encroachment of small shops by dwellers who slowly and gradually occupied the whole area. The writer has rightly pointed out that without making alternative arrangements, these shops were demolished very fast resulting in unemployment beside financial loss to shopkeepers after their business was forcibly shut.

If Karachi mayor and other high-ups in the Sindh government were farsighted, they would have made alternate arrangements to avoid sudden unemployment and financial loss to shopkeepers.

Director Marketing - Public Housing Schemes, KDA Wing of KMC vide their letter No: D[M]/PHS/KDA/2015 dated June 15, 2015 had announced and allotted a new project named Empress Mall in 2015 just behind existing Empress Market. It was promised and assured at that time that this project would be completed in 18 months. The KMC already collected huge amounts of money from the allottess (selected by balloting). But alas! the project ran into snag and could not be completed for reasons best known to the KMC.

I am sure if this Empress Mall project was completed in time, all the displaced shopkeepers would have been easily accomodated in this mall.

We have already lost five years for this unfinished project. The Sindh government and Karachi mayor must wake up to the situation and complete remaining construction of this project.

Dr Saleem Siddiqi

Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2019