KMC officials told that value of retrieved land is estimated to be around Rs 50 billion. Aided by police and rangers, the officials of anti-encroachment department, reached at the site along with heavy machinery and remained busy all the day removing constructions that include Dua Restaurant, Iman Restaurant, Ashi Restaurant, Three Queen Restaurant, Oasis Restaurant, Meraj Amusement Park, Oasis Meraj Garden, Mini Golf Club, Golf Culb Meraj Hall and a boundary wall.
The Metropolitan Commissioner Dr Syed Saifur Rehman supervised the operation while senior director (coordination) Masud Alam, senior director anti-encroachment Bashir Siddiqui, director media management Bashir Sadozai, director municipal services Noman Arshad and other KMC officials were also present.
The Hill Park, covering an area of 65 acres of land was constructed back in 1965. However, some influential persons occupied a huge portion of the recreational facility with constructing restaurants and shops through fake and bogus documentations, with impunity.
In past, the officials told that KMC made several attempts to recover the area of land, but to no avail as the occupants approached the courts and acquired stay orders. However, the fresh anti-encroachment operation has been initiated on directions of the Supreme Court.
The officials said the civic organizations are implementing the top court's orders and the action against encroachments is being taken impartially which is being carried out jointly by the KMC, district administration, Rangers, police, district municipal administration, cantonment boards, Sindh Solid Waste Management Board and others.
The drive will continue till the removal of encroachments from all parks, sports complexes, playgrounds and over 108 roads in the city. The Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar has vowed to remove illegal constructions around Hill Park, Jheel Park, Aziz Bhatti Park and Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim to ensure better recreational facilities to the residents. On January 6, 2019, the civic body claimed to have caved in as many as 4000 shops and structures in the metropolis since the beginning of ongoing anti-encroachment operation.