Desi Humour: Going to Port Grand ---- Really ?

Port Grand located on the Napier Mole Bridge is one of the leading and modern food streets cum entertainment arena of Pakistan. Traditional Gawalmandi food street, Lhr has been overshadowed by the sea facing competitor from Karachi. Due to the multifaceted nature of it, being beautifully designed and well kept environs

The entrance tickets are of 300 per person out of which 200 is redeemable at the food joints after strict security one is allowed into the PG premises and soon can get the stench of the polluted water of fish smell. There is also the option of jet skiing into the water and some zealous people are seen swashing the motor boat left and right like James bond.

Then there comes the huge hall and one can see the big branded shops over there that’s a welcome addition and adds to the revenue of the PG authority in the premises precise after enjoying a meal people can empty the pockets in these shops

On the left side is the port grand alley where all the eateries are located and there is a Palmist, a Parrot astrologer, Sketch maker and some traditional crafts stall and suddenly it seems that you are in Paris as the pathway is built of small pebbles and there is black board on which the menu is written by them the sittings are similar to that of European roadside. One thing that I fear the most in Pakistan when go out anywhere for roadside food is the fact that there are ample of stray and wild cats that particularly love to chase me and I do the public display of my vocals by shouting and fast track light speed jumps. Thank God these cats, dogs, and whatever are not present here in PG

There is a variety of café’s to choose from and there are stalls of the local road side food like BUN KEBAB, GOL GAPPAY, POP CORN, KACHORI, SAMOSAY,VARITIES OF TEA/Coffee available there that’s very great. Personally I feel the Gappa’s very saltish and the supposedly tamarind water due to the greenish color seems that they have taken it out from the same fish water of native jetty. The self- proclaimed best Chinese restaurant of Karachi – Chairman Mao is there too and the sticky chicken is the best to try out. And yes being a foodie I’m craving for the bun kebab’s of PG very yummy and beats the likes of Mc Donald’s and KFC .Till now I couldn’t muster the courage to go to Oishi sushi ,a Japanese restaurant to eat raw fish, yeah Sushi . I guess if egged then I have to keep a paper clip to clip my nose before having it just like in childhood, kids have milk. And yes how can I forget the desi, ghaffar kebab house, that has the succulent, juicy chicken tikka, reshmi kebabs with hot piping paratha’s and naan that were not heavy on the stomach though I hate the fact that the waiter was standing on our head eyeing with the corner, may be he wanted to enter into the Guinness book of world record for quick service. Plenty of drinks options were there on the street vendors to wash down the meal too.---- Care for a Narail Pani ( coconut water ) ?

One can see the huge ships in the water from that PG alley and there are lights there is a favorite photo spot for everybody that seems to go to PG. Everyone I see pose with smiling teeth, model pose, pout reminds me of the incident where one photographer placed the camera in the vicinity of the chimpanzees and they came up with great cameos. Mind blowing shots! Whenever I see a picture on PG green benches my mind traces the ancestry well back to the ape mode of humans

However despite all these things I think that there needs to a variety of steps taken by PG authority and the Port and shipping ministry, Karachi. Like the biggest issue of the Port grand is the awful smell of the water as it is full of wrappers, dirt, and some plastic bags are floating in it that is just so disgusting and I don’t know why doesn’t the port authority clear the water and restrict people from the top of the bridge to stop things throwing in it. There is a Hindu temple near it and the Hindu community throws their dia’s in the water then people of the Shiaa community throw their TAZIA’s in it and some people who out of superstition feed to the fishes and offer Nazr’s ( offering) that creates a lot of environmental pollution and there is nobody to restrict and stop them... The port and shipping should put heavy fines on the miscreants who do these things

As far as the water sport is concerned there needs to be adequate rescuers and the security gears to be provided by the PG management for the facilitation of the people to avoid any bad accident.

The thing that needs the most attention is the fact that although strict security checking is done on the entrance but from the bridge up above the full view of the PG is seen. At some places steel shuttering is done most of it is visible that pose dangerous threat to the security. Hence it’s important that there needs to be wire mesh planted with the walls of the flyover and security camera’s inserted on it to fulfill the purpose of the security. Or I guess if it’s affordable then the bullet proof glasses could be used instead of the steel shuttering though very expensive this would be very beautiful.

The PG has been much hyped and was labeled as the Asia’s biggest food street although I do admit that Port and shipping ministry has done a good job by turning the old flyover, resurrecting the historical bridge into a food street. I think there is a lot to be done.

Relaxing and fun loving activities are vital to the physical and the mental build-up of the people and one can escape from the everyday tensions of the life via it. However it’s the responsibility of the management and the government to ensure that proper security steps are taken and the environmental life of the local fish in the water is to be protected via this grand project as PG is a landmark of Karachi, that generates a humongous revenue for the people and its their duty to ensure that value for money should be provided to the people