Empress Market, one the oldest markets of Karachi, is going to have a museum and an art gallery, said Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) Municipal Commissioner Dr Saifur Rehman on Tuesday. He said that there are over 280 shops and around 25 extra shops inside the market and the KMC had issued notices to shopkeepers to vacate shops that were rented to them. However, the Daily Times learnt that more than two dozen shops would be demolished soon so as to create space for the museum. Earlier, the anti-encroachment operation entered its third phase. The market will be beautified and there will be the plantation of trees around it. Moreover, the clock will be repaired. The local government has planned to build a park around Empress Tower. On Monday, the clock tower was cleaned up by using a crane to lift workers so they could wash the structure with a snorkel. Karachiities had hailed the anti encroachment drive. Published in Daily Times, November 14th 2018.