RCB cracks down on illegal, unauthorised commercial activities

Official says final notices have been issued, operation expected to start soon

RAWALPINDI: To end unauthorised and illegal commercial activities from residential areas in the garrison city, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has issued 1,170 notices to violators.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, RCB Spokesperson Qaiser Mahmood said that notices for illegal commercial activities in residential areas were issued to schools, colleges, saloons, clinics, hospitals and others.

He said the board had decided to take strict action in accordance with the law against violators and that buildings being used illegally for commercial purposes would be sealed.

Earlier, the RCB set a deadline for March 31 to end commercial activities in all residential areas.

Now, final notices have been issued and soon a grand operation against the violators would be launched, he warned.

He clarified that commercial activities in the residential areas of the cantonment would not be allowed.

The spokesperson further said that RCB had already cancelled the lease of 12 plots in the Westridge area where illegal commercial buildings were set up for private schools, colleges and other educational institutions in violation of the rules.

To a question, he said that the board had also accelerated its ongoing anti-encroachment operation and confiscated 837 handcarts and 3,742 counters, tables and other goods from different markets during March.

Heavy fines amounting to over Rs1.6 million were also imposed on encroachers, he added. The anti-encroachment team also removed illegally installed sheds outside shops in various commercial areas, he informed.

Anti-encroachment teams visited Saddar, Gawalmandi, Chungi No. 22, Tench Bhatta, Bakra Mandi, Haider Road, Mall Road, Saadi Road, Kashmir Road, Police Station Road, Railway Station Road, Adam Gee Road, Bank Road and other markets and confiscated total 4,579 articles from the encroachers.

He added that the markets were regularly being visited and the staff concerned conducting raids at main markets. He said, the operation would continue and strict action would be taken against violaters.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2018.