Why did KMC destroy parked rickshaws in Karachi’s Patel Para?
Metropolitan corporation says rickshaws were 'unclaimed'
Photo: Online
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation got into hot water on Tuesday after it demolished several rickshaws parked under the Patel Para bridge in Karachi.
It was part of an anti-encroachment drive in District East areas, including Teen Hatti, Lasbela and Patel Para.
After the operation, a video went viral on social media which shows KMC’s anti-encroachment department demolishing rickshaws using heavy machinery.
The first impression of most people was that the KMC had started snatching the ‘bread and butter’ of poor rickshaw drivers. KMC, however, has a different story to tell.
It says the rickshaws are “unclaimed”. “The abandoned rickshaws have been parked under the Patel Para bridge for the last seven months or so,” said Amin Lakhani, a deputy director of the KMC anti-encroachment department. He supervised Tuesday’s operation.
Lakhani said KMC made several announcements to remove the rickshaws from the said locations before starting its operation.
The rickshaw owners were rushed to the spot after the announcements and took away their rickshaws, but three rickshaws remained unclaimed. “No one came to take them,”Lakhani said.
He said KMC then demolished the three rickshaws and dozens of ‘patharas’ under the Patel Para bridge.
Several cabins and different items of nearby hotels and restaurants which were kept at the side of footpaths were also removed.
A police team arrested six people who attempted to interrupt KMC’s anti-encroachment operation.
Lakhani said that people in area registered several complaints with the KMC over these encroachments, saying that they were causing a traffic jam at Patel Para and its adjacent areas.
KMC Anti-encroachment Department Senior Director Bashir Siddiqui, too, said the rickshaws had been placed under the bridge for several months.
He said the mechanics in the area were habitual of using the spare parts from these abandoned rickshaws for other rickshaws.
Drug users would often use the rickshaws at night to sit, Siddiqui said.
SAMAA Digital visited the area and noticed that dozens of rickshaws are still parked under the bridge.
Residents say this is a common problem which causes trouble for pedestrians.
13 Comments
Tell us what you think:
They should also check the sindhi hotel Bridge which is highly encriroached with all sorts of rickshaws and machinery
Wow! What a genius… They could have taken the possession of those rickshaw and give them to some needy people. They could have helped someone earning bread and butter for his family… Magar “jiye bhutto maray awan”
What does “Bhutto” have to do with it tho? This “ideal” suggestion of yours could potentially put innocent people behind bars in case the original owners of said Rikshaws caught them or even worst if these Rikshaws were used in some kind of crime.
Yes mr zeeshan is right, tha abandoned rickshas could be used to help anyone who is in need of a good earning but YES encroachments do need to be removed from all over the city. One “legal” kind of encroachment are the garbage bins that are randomly scattered on road sides and are a bit of nuisance to the traffic and pedestrians.
KMC should also break land cruisers if they break the laws
These were abondoned rickshaws. No more moveable. Parts were taken out and reset in other rickshaws. They made it as kabar market shershah type area. Well done KMC
The roads and footpaths are mostly encroached in Karachi by illegal peoples. This encroached forced traffic jams and millions of rupees fuel is burned in traffic jams.
This is correct action by KMC and must removed all encroachment from main roads of the city.
Thanks
Dear Imran, could you specify what you mean by illegal people?
Agar yahi kaam signal taornay aur wrong way se aanay walon ki garion k sath bhi kiya jae to shayad hamari traffic ka hal kuch bahtar hojae.
I agree with it, wrong way driving and not following signal is becoming a norm now.
how dare they demolish the moveable things. They have shifted to their courts where those who may claim may payed their penalty and may have taken away.
I seriously condemn this action. What has the Govt provided the nation with? where is the inftastucture of Karachi or other cities.
This would have been a correct action had the government actually given a platform for the people first.
This action is MIght is Right!
Excellent job guys. It is high time people realize to keep Pakistan clean and safe. Patel para place is a mess. Please give everyone breathing space. Thanks.