PHOTO: EXPRESS
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) launched the operation on the directions of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The CDA Enforcement Director and Land Survey Director supervised the operations in which they demolished at least seven rooms and four boundary walls with the help of heavy machinery.
The CDA enforcement cell, in with coordination of Islamabad Taxation and Excise Department and the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration (ICTA), also demolished illegal ramps and sealed 27 car showrooms.
The IHC on May 24 had directed the CDA in a written order to take indiscriminate action against encroachment in the federal capital — irrespective of whether these were by some security agencies or by media houses who were operating from residential areas and involved in the non-conforming use of properties.
The IHC bench had issued orders while hearing identical petitions against encroachment in Islamabad.
It had further directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to clear the service road which the agency occupied outside its Iqbal Town office on the pretext of security.
About the media houses operating from the residential areas and non-conforming use of property, a CDA Enforcement Department official had told the bench that 20 media houses were operating from residential areas. Of these, however, which five had stopped this activity, while 15 others had yet to comply and were served notices.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner had shared that they had prepared a schedule for anti-encroachment drives in a meeting with the chief commissioner.
SSP operations Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police had told the court that 30 police officials and one inspector had been permanently sent on deputation to the CDA for operations against encroachments.
In mid of May 2018, The CDA had chalked out a comprehensive plan spreading over the next six months to remove encroachment from different parts of the capital.
According to the plan prepared by the authority, the operation would be conducted in a phase-wise manner.
The proposal said that the anti-encroachment operation would continue in collaboration with the ICT administration until October 20.
As part of this plan, the CDA identified 64 locations across the city — in the rural and urban parts of the city — where the teams of enforcement directorate would tear down encroachment.
Spots identified in the urban areas included Sector F-11, Sector H-13, Aabpara Market, Sector G-8 Markaz, Sector G-9 Markaz, Sector G-11 Markaz, Sector F-8 Markaz, Sector F-10 Markaz, Sector F-11 Markaz, Sector I-8 Markaz, Sector I-9 Markaz, Sector I-10 Markaz and other parts of the city.
Operation in these areas is scheduled to be conducted June through July.
Under the plan, the right of way on the Kashmir Highway in Sector G-12, Grand Trunk Road in Tarnol, Islamabad Expressway up to Rawat, Service Road along Kashmir Highway, Kuri Road and encroachment on footpaths and roadsides on Lehtrar Road would be cleared.
In the rural parts of the city, encroachment was identified in Mera Beri, Lakhwal, Bani Gala, Malpur, Chatta Bakhtawar, Bari Imam, Jaaba Teli, Dhok Elahi Bukhsh, Bara Kahu and Jhangi Syedan.
The CDA teams are expected to tackle encroachment in these areas from the end of July to the middle of August.
Similarly, action against housing societies for violations are expected to be launched by the CDA’s planning wing in Sector E-11, Sector D-12, Sector G-15, and Sector F-15.
These operations are expected in September.
State land illegally occupied by authorities of various large organisations will also be retrieved during September.
Shopping centres in different commercial sectors of the city would also be cleared of encroachments.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2018.
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