CDA starts another anti-encroachment blitz

Retrieves prime location real estate from ‘illegal’ occupants

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Friday conducted a second operation against encroachment of Centaurus Mall and demolished left over structures and retrieved CDA land completely from illegal occupants.

Earlier, on November 8, CDA Enforcement Directorate had retrieved 15 acre state land worth over Rs20 billion encroached upon by Centaurus Mall by demolishing  400 rooms and office complex containing around 150 rooms amid resistance causing injuries to six officials including the director enforcement.

“During Friday’s operation, constructions made adjacent to the plot along with nullah including 12 pre-fabricated steel rooms and 12 cemented rooms were removed,” CDA Deputy Director Public Relation Malik Saleem Akhtar said, adding that Centaurs Mall administration had been occupying this state land since last eight years.



According to a CDA statement, this operation was carried out by enforcement directorate on the directions of Islamabad Mayor and CDA Chairman Ansar Aziz.

It said that CDA served several notices to the administration of the shopping mall to remove the encroachment voluntarily, but they paid no heed.

Mayor Aziz said that CDA and Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) were committed to eliminate all illegal and unauthorised construction and encroachment from the city. He said illegal occupants are being warned through public notices to remove encroachment voluntarily otherwise strict action would be taken.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2017.