KARACHI-Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday said that the Maripur truck stand should be built as per 1996 master plan and all encroachments from the truck stand will be removed immediately. The Mayor Karachi while visiting the Maripur truck stand, said that the shops built on the nala if built illegally, will be demolished too. He said that 60 per cent of the money received from the truck stand as parking fees and MUCT charges will be spent on the improvement of the truck stand, road construction, water and sewerage works.
A committee has been formed to settle issues related to ground rent, MUCT and parking fees at the truck stand, he added. Secretary General Pakistan Peoples Party South,Karamullah Waqasi, Chairman Kemari Town Humayun Khan, UC Chairman Ghulam Hussain, Karachi Goods Carrier Association President Noor Khan Niazi, Heads of relevant departments of KMC and members of Sindh Truck Owners Associations and truck owners were also present on this occasion. Barrister Murtaza Wahab was told that 441 fake leases were issued in Maripur truck stand, of which 17 leases were cancelled by the High Court as a result of a case. He was told that the space was insufficient for a truck stand, therefore, 1000 acres of land should be given for the new truck stand to meet the needs of next 50 years. 
Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab directed the Senior Director of anti-encroachment to remove all encroachments on the truck stand immediately. He said that apart from the truck stand, the parking that is happening on Hawkes Bay, Gulbai and the entire Maripur road should be eliminated. He also directed the Director Land to set up a counter at the truck stand for recovery of annual Rs 4200 ground rent. The Mayor Karachi also announced the formation of a committee on this occasion which includes Chairman Kemari Town Humayun Khan concerned UC Chairman, Additional Director Finance Wasi Usmani and a representative of Karachi Goods Carrier Association. This committee will settle the matters related to ground rent, MUCT and parking fees at the truck stand by mutual consent.  The Mayor Karachi visited the office of the Sindh Goods Carrier Association Office and the truck stand and said that chock gutter lines will be cleared at the truck stand and cleaning arrangements will be made to improve it. He said that the problems faced by the truck owners will be solved, encroachments, illegal leases, stormwater drains and water supply problems will be solved. Goods are delivered from Karachi to the entire country through these trucks worth billions of rupees, so it is our responsibility to solve the problems of truck owners, he observed.
Meanwhile, Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday said that the construction work of Shadman drain at the cost of Rs85 million is going on and after its completion, the problems during rains in Shadman area will be solved. He said this while inspecting the construction works of Shadman Nala in Central District. On this occasion, Secretary General of People’s Party Dil Muhammad, Project Director Mega Projects and other officers were also present. He said that rain drains and adjacent roads are being made safe for the citizens under the Karachi Mega Project. The ongoing development works of roads and storm drains in various areas will be completed as soon as possible, he added.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab said Shadman drain is the same place in Central District, where the family fell into the drain in an accident last year and taking immediate notice of the tragic incident, he immediately instructed to start the construction of Shadman Nala, he recalled. 
He said that in the past, due to the lack of proper management of drainage during the rains, the population of Shadman was flooded and the reason for this was the lack of management for the discharge of water from the Shadman Nala but now it is being connected to Qalandria Chowk drain and the surrounding communities will be safe during rains. He said that the Shadman Nala is 1500 feet long and 10 feet wide while it’s depth is 9 to 10 feet so that the flow of water in the drain continues in a better manner. He said that this project is of utmost importance, so work is being done day and night and it will be completed soon. In the upcoming monsoon, residents of Shadman and adjacent areas will feel a clear change here.
The Mayor Karachi said priority has been given to the works which were urgently needed in the city by keeping the convenience of the citizens first, along with the construction of drains in the central district, road carpeting work is also being done. He directed the officers to complete all the works at a high speed for the convenience of the citizens and to adopt such a strategy during the development works that the flow of traffic in the sides is not affected. He said that for convenience of the citizens full monitoring of the works is being ensured so that the development works in the city are sustainable and the citizens can benefit from them for a long time.