KMC completes survey of railway track for anti-encroachment drive, requests security assistance

KARACHI: Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) requested security assistance for its anti-encroachment drive on Sunday.

“The anti-encroachment drive from Landhi to Karachi Cantonment Station will not be possible without security assistance from Rangers,” said Senior Director of Anti Encroachment Bashar Siddiqui.

Preparations for the drive that will demolish thousands of house and commercial buildings are complete, said Siddiqui, who is heading the KMC-led anti-encroachment task force.

Mayor of Karachi Waseem Akhtar gave his go-ahead for the drive after Divisional Superintendent of Railways Aijaz Ahmed requested for the clearance of encroachments from land allotted to the Railways Department, the establishment of a green belt, and a cleanliness drive on the railway track.

A survey conducted for the anti-encroachment drive is complete and thousands of houses and commercial buildings will be demolished in a four-phase operation, Siddiqui told this correspondent.  

KDA razes over 10 marriage halls, other structures 

In December last year, more than 10 marriage halls and other structures, reportedly built on amenity plots were razed by an anti-encroachment drive in the city by Karachi Development Authority (KDA).

KDA officials had said the anti-encroachment cell had carried out the drive on the orders of the Supreme Court.

The structures that were demolished were situated in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, near Nipa Chowrangi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Federal B Area, the officials added.

KDA had bulldozed more than 90 marriage halls and structures that were illegally constructed on amenity plots. 

KMC's anti-encroachment cell had obtained a record of amenity plots in the city and decided to initiate an operation from December 19 to release more than 20,000 amenity plots from land grabbers.

After the operation had commenced, KDA officials said they had received threats from those involved in encroaching the amenity land.