Karachi’s Burns Road resident wants food street declared ‘illegal’
A man approached the Sindh High Court on Friday against the pedestrianisation of the Burns Road food street. This is the second petition filed against the street this week.
Shaikh Muhammad Suleman, a resident of Frere Mansions for the last five decades, said that the administration has blocked the main roads and that has caused “great hardships and nuisance” to the area residents.
He requested the court to declare the food street illegal, and allow the residents to use their “place of abode in just and free manner”.
Burns Road is one of the oldest areas in the city, he said, adding that it comprises over 50 buildings. There are approximately 15 restaurants there. “The entire area has been encroached upon by the owners of the hotels.” They have “placed chairs and tables on the main road” and blocked the main road.
The owners have also misbehaved with the residents, he said in the petition.
A similar petition was filed on Thursday. The court told the residents to submit their affidavits in the case and summoned arguments on the sustainability of the petition.
The Karachi administration pedestrianise the food street on January 10. A notification issued on January 5 said that the vehicles won’t be allowed on the street after 7pm as a part of the government’s initiative to pedestrianise it.
People visiting the food street will be able to give their cars on valet parking while a route will be devised for emergencies.
Markings have been chalked on both sides of the streets to prevents restaurants from extending their sitting areas. All these arrangements will, however, be done after 7pm. Before that, everything will function as routine, the notification said.
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