‘Officials behind encroachment’

Shopkeepers say anti-encroachment drives only media show

RAWALPINDI:

Officials of the very department responsible for removing encroachment are conniving with hawkers and street vendors to allow occupation of streets and footpaths, shopkeepers told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.

Due to the negligence of Anti-Encroachment Department, the streets and markets of Rawalpindi have become a hotbed of encroachment, they said.

According to traders of the old city area, the department’s officials receive monthly payments locally called ‘monthlies’ from the encroachers against letting them set up stalls and kiosks on footpaths and roadsides.

Owing to this, the traffic flow on Liaquat Road, Iqbal Road, Raja Bazar Road, Saddar City Road, Ganj Mandi Road, Jamia Masjid Road, Circular Road, Bani Chowk, Kohati Bazar, Dengi Khoi Chowk, Baghe Sardar Road, Sadiqabad, Dhok Khabba, and others has become a problem while as pedestrians face difficulties well.

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So far, all anti-encroachment drives on the related roads have failed due to the nexus between the encroachment mafia and Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation’s anti-encroachment department.

The vendors paying the monthlies are informed by the officials on the take about the anti-encroachment drive and they move away on the day. The department only picks up a few stalls and even return them to owners with nominal fines.

When RMC Municipal Regulation Officer Imran Ali was approached, he said that he would not defend that there were no encroachment. However, he added that the teams have been formed for removing encroachment.

Imran Ali said that a massive anti-encroachment drive would be conducted very soon. Ali said that there would be strict action if any links between the mafia and staff were found.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2021.