Father's business, son's homework both roadside | Shops demolished, businesses destroyed

Shops demolished, businesses destroyed

 

A major road widening project in Quetta has put a large number of shopkeepers in a difficult position due to sudden loss of employment opportunities, but one of them is Syed Gul Siriani, who runs his own business before he needs Jonan Shabina. Came up with a unique solution to restore

Syed Gul says that when he received the notice to vacate the shop in seven hours, that moment was no less than a resurrection for him as the government officials had told him that 'otherwise his shop would be demolished'. ۔

Since his house was run by the goods in the shop, he had no choice but to vacate the shop to protect the goods from damage.

Syed Gul has come up with a unique solution to keep his business afloat for a while, but due to the protests of the affected shopkeepers, he does not see his shop being rebuilt immediately, which he fears will lead to a drop in revenue. Don't let their business end there.

Shops demolished, businesses destroyed

Syed Gul is a resident of Sariab area in Quetta city.

He used to arrange his family's livelihood from a small shop opposite the grid station near Degree College on Sariab Road.

The shop was rented by his father thirty years ago, but after his father's death, he took over the shop and eight members of the family, including his elderly mother, continued to live in the shop.

Syed Gul said that this shop was not only his source of income but he was also attached to it because he spent his childhood and boyhood days in the same shop with his father.

The shop in which he used to run his business has now been demolished and the owner has removed the wreckage.

Pointing to his shop, he said he was sitting inside when government officials came and handed him a notice. "Officials came at ten o'clock and said to vacate the shop by five o'clock in the evening, otherwise it would be demolished."

"Since I had no recommendation and no influence to stop the shop from being demolished for a few days, I immediately called my relatives and acquaintances and took the goods home," he said. Moved. '

"I moved the goods home because it was not possible for me to rent a shop elsewhere."

Syed Gul said that a lot of goods were broken during the quick transfer to the house as most of the goods were made of glass.

Hundreds of shopkeepers like Syed Gul have been affected so far due to the Sariab Road expansion project, while more are feared to be affected.

Rahim Kakar, president of the Central Association of Traders of Balochistan, told the BBC that a total of 2,500 shopkeepers would be affected by the Sariab Road expansion project.

He said that about 1,200 shopkeepers have been affected so far.

Every shopkeeper is in trouble because of the road expansion plan, but Syed Gul has revived his business to some extent through a unique solution.

Shops demolished, businesses destroyed

Syed Gul said the shop was his family's only source of livelihood. So when the family members saw the goods in the shop, they were all worried about how it would be spent now.

He said that during this time he came up with the idea of ​​placing goods in front of the demolished shop and why not start selling them. But in such a situation, how will the arrangements be made to bring and take the goods home on a daily basis?

"I came up with the idea of ​​buying a Changchi (rickshaw) to bring and carry goods." And they bought the Changchi rickshaw from what they had accumulated.

After buying Changchi, it is the custom of Syed Gul's day that he first drops the children off at school with the goods in the shop and then comes to Sariab Road and puts the goods in front of the old shop and waits for the buyers.

Since dust and dirt is flying all the time, it is necessary to clean the equipment all the time and shake off the dust from them.

Although Syed Gul has revived his business to some extent, he is not satisfied with his income.

He said that in the past when there was a shop, there was a sale of Rs. 8,000 to Rs. If that were the case, I would be afraid that the store would run out of money at our expense. "

My son's school homework is also on the side of the road

Father's business, son's homework both roadside

While shoplifting under the open sky is no less of a hassle for Syed Gul, Syed Gul's eldest son has to face the same hassle and difficulties as his son comes to help him after school.

Since they have to shake hands with their father until evening, they have to do their homework by the roadside.

Syed Gul said that even when the shop was set up, his son used to come to his aid after school, but at that time he used to sit inside the shop in a better environment and do school work, but now it is sunny and dusty. ۔

He said that even reading on the road outside is not an easy task for a child as the sun is blowing dust all the time. "The weather is still good, but it will be hot in the future, and it will only add to my child's problems."

The plight of Syed Gul and his son is the story of every affected shopkeeper on Sariab Road, whether he rented a business or had his own shop.

There seems to be no immediate solution to the problem of shopkeepers on Sariab Road as property owners have started a series of protests with low compensation, with the affected shopkeepers also participating.

The protest could not only delay the construction of shops on the road, but also the road expansion project itself.

Why have property owners started protesting?

Although Sariab Road shopkeepers and their owners are not against the Sariab Road expansion plan, they have been protesting for the past one and a half months.

Father's business, son's homework both roadside

He said that the compensation being paid to him for his property was very low and in no way complied with the requirements of justice.

Rahim Kakar, president of the Central Association of Traders of Balochistan, said the commercial rate on Sariab Road is Rs 30,000 per foot, but the government is paying shop owners only Rs 690.

Calling it a "joke" with the business community, he said that even for Rs 690, land in a remote area of ​​Quetta is not available for residential purposes while the government is paying people very little for their commercial land.

He said that the government should give fair compensation to the shop owners or give them alternative places accordingly as earlier the affected shopkeepers of Satellite Town bus stand were given shops in Hazar Ganji.

He said that the demand of shopkeepers and traders was legitimate and if their legitimate demand was not met, there would be a full scale protest after Eid.

What is the government's position on compensation?

Shops demolished, businesses destroyed

Attempts were made to contact Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani and other key officials on the phone for three consecutive days following protests by affected shop owners on Sariab Road. They did not receive calls or reply to messages.

When contacted, Commissioner Quetta Division Asfandyar Kakar said that the price fixed by the Deputy Commissioner Quetta for the affected shopkeepers of Sariab Road is the same as per the law.

He said that the rate set by the Deputy Commissioner for acquisition of land in any area as per the law reviews the transactions between one and three years in that area and on that basis he Sets the rate.

He said that according to the transactions that have taken place in this area during the last two to three years, it is only Rs. 690 per foot which has been fixed by the Deputy Commissioner.

"According to the law, neither the deputy commissioner nor I can change this rate, nor does anyone else have the authority to do so," he said.

The Commissioner said that if the people are not satisfied with the rate, they can approach the Sessions Court under Section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act.

Shops demolished, businesses destroyed

Syed Gul said that widening of the road is also necessary as there is a big problem of traffic jam.

He said the expansion would not only meet the traffic needs but also enhance the beauty of the area, but now hundreds of people like him have lost their businesses and are in trouble. ۔

Syed Gul said that the collapse of the shop has caused him a loss of Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh so far. The shop owners will get something from the government but nothing is being done to compensate the people who used to do business in these shops.

He said that the legitimate right of the shop owners should be given to them so that shops could be built here as soon as possible and people could resume their business.