Roadside picnics

On a recent trip to the famous food street near Burns Road in Karachi, I was shocked to see how poorly managed the shops, cafes and restaurants in the locality were. Every restaurant and cafe had placed chairs and tables for customers and visitors on the road. Almost seventy percent of the road was occupied these arrangements.

The markets in Saddar are in a state of utter confusion. There is no place to park one’s vehicle. This arrangement of the shops certainly helps no one. While the food was undoubtedly delicious, the setup was troubling. Why have the relevant authorities not worked to end this encroachment? The shopkeepers, instead, should be provided with better places to set up their stalls and hotels to avoid road congestion and to improve the state of traffic.

Nazir Ahmed

Karachi