Karachi: KMC launches anti-encroachment drive at Garden area

KARACHI: The city authorities have launched anti-encroachment operation at the area surrounding the Zoological Garden of Karachi on Saturday (today).

Scores of shops are expected to be demolished along the boundary wall of the Zoo today, as shopkeepers had started vacating their shops yesterday.

The workers of power and gas utilities also accompanying with the staff of KMC staff in the drive.

A large contingent of police and Rangers personnel have been deployed along with water cannons to disperse any adverse reaction from the shopkeepers during the anti-encroachment campaign.

The city officials in their anti-encroachment exercise will likely to raze upto 500 shops and offices illegally built along the boundary wall of the Karachi Zoo, as part of their anti-encroachment operation being carried out across the city after the Supreme Court ruled for it.

According to shopkeepers, the KMC had earlier served them notices to vacate the shops within one month but now they have abruptly slashed the deadline for removal of their shops.

The shops, as per the shopkeepers, were rented out to them by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) in 1960s. Since then tenants of these shops conducting businesses at these shops.

The city authority had recently cancelled the tenancy contracts.