Murad directs KDA, KMC to withdraw cases from courts to resolve disputes

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali chaired a meeting to resolve the disputes between Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and Karachi Development Authority (KDA) over parking lots and directed them to withdraw their cases from the courts.
The meeting was attended by Local Govt Minister Nasir Shah, Administrator KMC Murtaza Wahab, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Special Secretary Local Government Khalid Chachar, DG KDA Asif Memon and Director KDA Khalid Masror.
Administrator KMC Murtaza Wahab told the meeting that a dispute between KMC and KDA was going on in the court over the ownership of a parking lot at Bara-Dari which has been rented out to a local hotel for Rs 3.5 million annually.
Local Government Minister Nasir Shah said that the plot belonged to the KMC and the defunct city district government had constructed the underground parking lot.
He added that in those days the KDA was a part of the city government. Now the matter is in court from last many years and the rent was being deposited in the court.
At this the chief minister decided that the land on which underground parking has been developed belonged to the KMC, therefore the area should be taken over by KMC.
Murtaza Wahab said that another dispute between the KMC and KDA was over the ownership of Parking Plaza at Saddar.
Nasir Shah said that the land on which Parking Plaza has been constructed belonged to KDA and expenditures incurred on the constructions were taken out from the city government funds.
At this the chief minister decided that the owner of the land was the KDA, therefore the Parking Plaza should be given to the KDA.
The chief minister said that both the organizations, KMC and KDA belonged to the people of Karachi, therefore they should work for the betterment of people instead of indulging into legal battles.
Another matter which came under discussion was the allotment of advertisement spots and their revenue collection and the KMC and DMCs have disputes on such issues.
At this the chief minister said that there was a massive pilferage in the advertisement revenues.
He suggested the local government department to constitute a central organization to deal with advertisement and then share the collection as per the share of the DMCs.
It was pointed out that the Urban Design Department of KDA has been working in SBCA.
The chief minister directed the KDA to de-notify them and ask them to report back to the KDA.
Nasir Shah pointed out that the parks of KMC and DMCs were in dilapidated condition. Those which have been restored were facing ownership issues, he added.
At this the chief minister decided that the parks of the local bodies should be outsourced for their maintenance and ownership.
The chief minister on the request of the local government minister vowed to give a grant to the KDA to bail it out of the present financial crisis. He added that he had given a Rs 500 million grant to KDA last year.
Syed Murad Ali Shah directed KDA to remove encroachments from its lands and develop their projects in the public interest and in its financial interest.