Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is sitting over a modern two-storied urban shopping mall but is not utilising it.
It is built in the heart of the city amid the costliest commercial area and has been idle for years.
This is the shopping mall of the CDGK car parking plaza Saddar which is complete in all respects but is still to be rented to provide a dependable source of income to the cash-strapped KMC.
The shopping mall was constructed on the ground and the first floor of the largest car parking plaza of Pakistan, CDGK car parking plaza, situated at New Preedy Street, Saddar, costly downtown market area and was completed about eight years ago but it is still to be utilised by the KMC or rented commercially to earn some revenue. The spacious glass-door shops of this modern mall are gathering dust and it has become a den of beggars, street children, vendors, drug addicts and other anti-social elements.
The monthly rent of a shop in this area is not less than Rs30000 per month and amid very high demand of shops, this mall is still idle, indicating that the KMC people want to keep this facility deserted and unoccupied.
Even the KMC could establish a public utility centre in this mall or use it as its offices, which would greatly facilitate people as the location is in the heart of the city.
Though the CDGK car parking plaza, was constructed to reduce traffic congestion in Saddar and its surrounding streets, but it is yet to be optimally utilised as Saddar locality is not turned into the no-parking zone in letter and spirit, so that citizens can park their vehicles in this plaza. The height of the negligence of the KMC could be gauged from the fact that illegal parking could be seen just in front of this car parking plaza.
The building of the car parking plaza which should be a hallmark building of the KMC is in poor shape due to negligence and lack of maintenance. Many of its windows are broken, its footpath and some portions of roads in front of it in dilapidated shape. If the KMC rents out this shopping mall or utilise it as a public facilitation centre, it would greatly facilitate the common man and add to the beatification of the area.
The deputy mayor of Karachi, Dr Arshad A Vohra should take notice of non-utilisation of a mini goldmine in the shape of the CDGK car parking plaza shopping mall and ensure its early and optimal utilisation, so as to earn a steady and sustainable income in shape of lucrative rents of these modern shops.