Traffic police to tackle encroachment

With encroachment placing hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic on the roads of the city, especially in and around the main commercial markets of the city, the traffic police force of the city has decided to use their resources to help minimise the traffic mess.

However, some markets of the city, particularly Bara Bazaar, saw illegal stalls block the entire street for any vehicular movement.

Rawalpindi City Circle Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Ibrar Sarwar on Monday said that they had received several complaints about traffic jams and congestion on the city roads. In response to those complaints, the official said that they had launched a crackdown against encroachers who have occupied almost half of the roads and were creating hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic.

Subsequently, traffic police officers visited several city areas and shopkeepers found involved in encroachment were given time to remove them. Should they fail to do this, the shopkeepers were warned that strict action would be taken against them as per the law would be taken against them, he added.

Officers of the circle, including Inspector Nasir Jadoon, Inspector Babar and others used forklifts of the force and conducted raids in the Bara Market area, Ganjmandi Road, Saddar City Road, Raja Bazaar and other areas, he said.

The traffic police officer added that their operation will continue and goods displayed on the roads will be confiscated and handed over to the relevant department.

Without removing encroachment, the rising problems for vehicular traffic cannot be controlled and addressed properly, he said.

Apart from tackling encroachment, he said that officers are also cracking down on incorrect parking of vehicles on the city roads. Negligence on part of traffic police officials will not be tolerated either, the DSP said.

Sarwar urged citizens to cooperate with traffic police so that all traffic-related problems can be addressed properly.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2020.