KARACHI: The city administration on Monday announced a major antiencroachment operation across Karachi from today (Tuesday).

The first phase will be launched in district Central, where a plan has been finalised to remove illegal structures from main roads and storm water drains.

The decision was made at a meeting, chaired by Karachi Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab, regarding the anti-encroachment campaign, at the head office of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

KMC Municipal Commissioner S.M.

Afzal Zaidi, Deputy CommissionerCentral Taha Saleem, KMC Financial Adviser Gulzar Abro and other officers were also present.

Barrister Wahab said that the action against encroachments was being taken to prevent inconvenience to citizens.

`Encroachments on roads and footpaths create seriousissuesforpedestrians and the business community,` a KMC statement issued after the meeting quoted the mayor as saying.

`Illegal constructions on roads and storm water drains will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Full compliance with court orders will be ensured and an impartial operation against encroachments will continue,` the statement added.

The mayor said efforts had been made to involve all stakeholders, including the district administration, to ensure that the anti-encroachment drive was effective and comprehensive.

During the meeting, the statement said, a strategic plan was devised for the grand operation against encroachments in the Central district and all aspects of the campaign were thoroughly reviewed.

`In light of the court orders, the strongest possible action should be taken against land grabbers involved in illegal constructions on roads, storm water drains, and graveyards,` said the mayor.

`Disrupting daily life and affecting public facilities cannot be tolerated.

With the inclusion of the Deputy Commissioner of Central district and other stakeholders, the operation is expected to yield positive results, providing relief from illegal structures,` he added.

He further said that the operation will not be limited to the Central district but will be extended to other parts of the city as well. He appealed to traders and shopkeepers to refrain from setting up encroachments in front of their shops on footpaths and roads and to cooperate with the KMC and city administration in the anti-encroachment drive.

He stressed that for the development and betterment of the city, all segments of society-including industrialists, traders, and common citizens-must play their part. The KMC was committed to providing the best possible municipal facilities to the citizens and would take whatever steps were necessary to achieve that object, he added.