SHC directs KMC, park management to file comments on plea for removal of rides

The Sindh High Court on Wednesday directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Askari Amusement Park’s management and others to file comments on a petition against commercial activities at the park in the old Sabzi Mandi area and seeking the removal of alleged illegal rides.

The petitioner, Mohammad Imran Shehzad, submitted that the park’s management had started illegal commercial activities and installed substandard rides from China without fulfilling the codal formalities. He said the city administration failed to monitor such activities at the park.

The petitioner’s counsel, Irfan Aziz, said the private company installed substandard rides at the public park without providing the necessary space of 300 metres of high-rise rides.

He said the park is on University Road and one of the high-rise rides is installed near the thoroughfare. He expressed the fear that if the ride were to collapse, it could cause several casualties on the main road.

He requested the court to direct the civic administration that no commercial activity be allowed at public parks and that illegal rides be removed from this park. He also requested the court to restrain the opening of the park until the removal of the rides from the public park.

The court directed the KMC, the park management and others to file comments on the petition by December 17. The petition was filed in the wake of a 16-seater ride falling apart and killing a 14-year-old girl at the park in the old Sabzi Mandi area on July 15 last year.

The court was earlier informed that the swing fall incident at the park occurred due to poor quality of welding of flanges and bolts with the structure. Filing a report of the technical committee deputy commissioner East submitted the technical committee report that disclosed that the incident occurred due to poor quality of welding of flanges and bolts with the structure.

The report stated that the unfortunate fly turtle ride was not brand new at the time of its installation; besides, operational staff was not well qualified.

The report stated that negligence was found not only on the part of the contractor of the swing, but also on its operational and audit team. It was suggested that well-defined SOPs of operation and maintenance of all rides should be prepared and followed as per international standards and regularly inspected by the respective teams on those parameters.