Karachi: Illegal commercialisation in Gulberg Town increasing

[LahoreEstate]

Monday, June 01, 2009
By Qadeer Tanoli

Karachi

Illegal commercialisation in Gulberg Town is flourishing despite steps by the town administration to rein it in. Due to large-scale commercialisation traffic jams have become a routine and residents are also facing severe shortage of utility services.

The newly-inaugurated road from Aisha Manzil to Landi Kotal Chowrangi has become the worst victim of commercialisation nowadays, say observers. The residential units alongside the road are being converted into schools, hospitals, and marriage halls.

On the one hand commercialisation is touching a new high on this road and on the other hand due to non-availability of parking space a lot of vehicles are parked alongside the road thus causing a major obstruction.

It becomes almost impossible to pass through this road during peak working hours.

It is learnt that road from Aisha Manzil to Landi Kotal Chowrangi is not amongst those thoroughfares on which commercialisation is allowed under the master plan of City District Government Karachi (CDGK).

The high-rise phenomenon, especially in Hussainabad is another factor which is making life terrible for the residents. Sometimes back, housing units in Hussainabad comprising 120 to 200 square yards were mostly single-floor. However, now the same houses are being converted into ground-plus-three-to-five floors.

Last week the inhabitants of the Hussainabad and adjoining areas Staged a massive demonstration against recurring load-shedding of electricity. The inhabitants of the area faced a continuous load shedding for more than 40 hours. Due to such constructions the area which used to once give a pleasant look is presenting a view of a sprawling slum.

At the newly inaugurated road from Aisha Manzil to Landi Kotal Chowrangi substandard speed breakers have also been made which is becoming a bane for the traffic. Commercialisation at the road from Aisha Manzil to Yaseenabad is also speedily increasing. Same is the situation on the road from Water Pump to People’s Chowrangi where traffic jams have become a daily matter these days.

The Nazim, Gulberg Town, Kamal Malik, when contacted, said that the schools on the road from Aisha Manzil to Landi Kotal Chowrangi were not set up recently but had been there for the last 15 years or so.

He said he had around 12 such buildings demolished in the town through Karachi Building Control Authority (KBCA) which were illegally constructed. He said due to fast traffic flow the town administration made two speed breakers on the same road to control the traffic accidents.

Likewise, he said, schools, mostly coaching centres are being run for the last 10 to 15 years on the road from Water Pump to Peoples Chowrangi. He said commercialization must be discouraged at the points where it is not allowed.

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