KARACHI: Citizens of Karachi have demanded that encroachments be removed from railway lands as dozens of illegally built multi-storied residential buildings on the land of Pakistan Railways besides the main national railway track have become a nuisance for them.
Dozens of three to four storied buildings are constructed by land mafia near the railway track between the Cantt and Landhi railway stations. Many of these buildings are in the limits of Jamshed Town of District East and Tipu Sultan police station.
There is an illegally built four-storied building in the limits of Tipu Sultan station which has about 40 rooms and they are rented to labours and other low-income families belonging to upcountry. This and a lot of other such building, having very weak structure, built along the track tremble when fast trains run near them. These buildings could collapse any time, but the railway department, Sindh building control authority and area police are not ready to take any action to save innocent lives.
The railway track from Kalapul near JPMC up to Baloch Colony Flyover houses dozens of Shanti localities on both sides where thousands of people, including women and children, live in extremely dangerous conditions. They freely cross the unfenced track and their children play along the track in very risky manner.
The concerned authorities should take action against negligent officers of Pakistan Railways Karachi Division, SBCA Jamshed Zone and concerned police stations, including Tipu Sultan, on priority basis who shelter these illegal localities against bribes. A demolition drive should be started against all illegal structures along the railway track without further loss of time in Karachi, as there is also an order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to retrieve all railway lands in the whole country from the encroachers.