First phase of Gujjar Nullah anti-encroachment drive about to complete

KARACHI: The first phase of an anti-encroachment drive has been continued for the fifth days at Gujjar Nullah, which is stretched over a distance of 13.5 kilometers.

The marking and survey work to remove illegal encroachments has entered in its final phase at three points on Gujjar Nullah in Karachi’s District Central. The work has been underway at Zero Point drain passing through 9000 road in New Karachi, Cafe Piala in Gulbarg area and Kausar Niazi Colony near Ziauddin Hospital.

A large contingent of police has been deployed in the area to tackle any untoward situation during the anti-encroachment drive.

In the first phase makeshift encroachments within 20 feet limit being completely demolished by the KMC personnel which includes cattle yards, workshops, sheds and huts etc.

The area dwellers offering resistance to the anti-encroachment teams. The area dwellers said they won’t allow demolition of their homes if not offered an alternate place.

The city corporation personnel have mostly completed the anti-encroachment operation around Gujjar Nullah near Cafe Piala with the help of the district central administration and the police department.

It is pertinent to mention here that most of the storm water drains in Karachi have been encroached with illegally constructed houses, shops and other structures.

These encroachments have pivotal role in impeding free flow of the rainwater causing urban flooding and immense damage to the city, in case of a catastrophic spell of rainfall, like the one recently hit the port city.

A survey conducted by Sindh Irrigation Department and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) few years ago pointed out thousands of built houses on Gujjar Nullah, stretched over a distance of 13.5 kilometers.

According to survey papers several billions of rupees will be required to shift these houses and provide alternate homes to the affected people.

According to the survey, 27 key water drains are occupied by the illegal encroachments with five to 80 percent occupation of the space, which are part of the natural drainage of the rainwater for Karachi.