The Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar presiding over a follow-up meeting to review the progress of ongoing development works in the city and decided to construct a rise-residential and commercial building in place of Liaquatabad Super Market in which rights of the tenants would be protected as has been decided for Pakistan, Clayton and Jahangir Quarters. Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab and Secretary Local Government Manzoor Shaikh told the chief minister that, on his instructions, they visited Liaquatabad Super Market.
The market is a four-storey old building constructed over an area of little less than one acre. It has around 900 occupants. Murtaza Wahab said that the KMC hardly earned Rs5.3 million from 700 shops in the Liaquatabad Super Market. He said that the market was located on the main Liaquatabad. The CM said that the provincial government could construct a high-rise residential-cum-commercial building either from its budget or in PPP mode. He added that the genuine tenants would be looked after properly in the new building. The new building would have offices, shops and residential apartments where government and private offices would accommodate apart from allotting the shops and apartments to the interested people, the chief minister said.
He inquired about the status of the building being built on Shahrah-e-Faisal, opposite STAR Gate. Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab told the CM that the building was being built on Commercial plot No.14, Street No.01, measuring 417.31 square yards at Moria Khan Goth, Shah Faisal Town. The mayor said that the said plot/building was allotted to persons by Katchi Abadies dept of KMC. He added that the KMC has cancelled/withdrawn the allotment order and the Sindh Building Control Authority has already bulldozed its front portion taken out of its actual alignment.
The CM appreciated the mayor and directed him not to allot such commercial plots facing to main artery of the city- Shahrah-e-Faisal. The CM was told that the beautification of Shahrah-e-Faisal has been started in consultation with the architects and experts.
Various beautification works have been started, apart from engaging the horticulture dept of KMC for planting trees, flowers and other beautiful plants. The CM directed the KMC and other concerned agencies to improve streetlights in the city and they must be beautiful in their look and their proper maintenance must be made regularly. He directed the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board to further improve its sweeping, lifting of garbage and washing of the roads. I am not satisfied with the cleaning work being carried out in the city, he added.
The CM also reviewing the progress of seepage treatment of Falaknaz Apartments located on the Shahrah-e-Faisal expressed his displeasure on SBCA for their failure to start the work. Justice Baqar directed SBCA to get the quality work started within two days, otherwise, he would take strict action against the SBCA officers.
He said that almost all the main and link roads connecting the city have been encroached on in the jurisdiction of the towns. This is a very deplorable situation that we could not protect our main roads, streets and even parks, the CM said. Secretary Local government told the CM that he has written a letter to all the Towns of the city with the directives to assist and cooperate with KMC in the removal of encroachment from their respective towns.
Chairman P&D Shakil Mangejo suggested that the Towns must be given funds to remove encroachment from their areas. He said that the Town administration has sent their budget proposals for the removal of encroachment. The CM directed the Secretary of Local government to provide 30 per cent of funds to the demand of the Towns so that they could start the removal of encroachment, start tree plantation, and improve their roads, footpaths and sewerage systems.
The CM directed the Mayor of KMC to develop pushcart markets. They should have a dedicated properly developed area. He directed Murtaza Wahab to submit his proposal.
