KARACHI - Unchecked encroachments outside the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK), a leading public hospital in the provincial capital, have become dilemma not only for ambulances but also for the citizens rushing to the hospital’s emergency.
The Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) District South administration has failed to remove such encroachments as the encroachers are backed by political groups and KMC officials.
Encroachments have created problems for patients and their attends crossing the Civil Hospital Road where ER Department of CMK is situated, links MA Jinnah Road to Baba-i-Urdu Road.
Ambulances drivers face great difficulties while carrying injured people, patients and bodies to the hospitals due to Illegal parking and encroachments. An illegal car parking has also been set outside the hospital, while KMC officials and political mafia are behind this illegal action causing great stress to the citizens.
A senior official of the hospital told The Nation that Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) District South administration is required to have anti-encroachment drive around the hospital. “The roads leading to MA Jinnah Road to hospital has completely been encroached by the illegal vendors, stall owners, fruit sellers,” he added.
He said: “Sometimes staff of the hospital and citizens face hardship while entering the CHK as some vendors have setup their moveable stalls in front of the CHK main gate. The encroachment has become a serious nuisance for visiting patients and staff of the hospital.”
Pakistan Paramedical Staff Association (PPMSA) Karachi Division President Nazeer Abbasi, talking about the issue, said that the area outside the hospital must be cleared from all hurdles and encroachments.
He demanded of the authority concerned to take strict steps against the encroachers.
He said that KMC should not allow the motorcyclists and auto-rickshaw drivers to parks their vehicles on roads leading to hospital at any circumstance.