Authorities have approved a grand anti-encroachment drive against makeshift and permanent encroachments, stalls, carts and illegal parking spots in 17 big markets and commercial centres across the garrison city.
The final approval for the grant anti-encroachment drive was granted on Thursday in a special meeting presided over by Additional Deputy Commissioner Nausheen Sardar, in which business organisations, municipal corporation officers and District Officer of Civil Defence, Talib Hussain, also participated.
The operation will be launched on Friday [today] from Committee Chowk and will continue from 11am to 5pm for a fortnight.
Sources said an eight-member committee has been established for the grand drive and added that Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema will directly supervise the anti-encroachment operations.
The committee will have two business representatives, district officer industries, two representatives of the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation, and two traffic police officers, while RMC Chief Officer Mian Imran will be its focal person.
This committee will also have the support of 10 uniformed personnel of the police station concerned as well as the civil defence department.
During the anti-encroachment drive, the teams will bulldoze all types of encroachments from both sides of Committee Chowk to Iqbal Road and Fawara Chowk. Wheel carts will be seized and illegally parked vehicles and motorcycles will also be impounded at the police stations.
The central trade organisations have supported the grand operation while all the small markets have come out in its opposition.
The operation will be carried out in the major crowded commercial centres including Iqbal Road, DAV College Road, Raja Bazar, Fawara Chowk, Liaquat Road, Bohar Bazar, Mochi Bazar, Dingi Khui, Jamia Masjid Road, Kohati Bazar, Bani Chowk, Hamilton Road, Nirankari Bazar, Ganjmandi, College Road, City Saddar Road, Kalan Bazar, Bara Bazar, commercial market and in its vicinity.
Red notices have been issued to all the shopkeepers, wheel cart hawkers and encroachers of these markets, instructing them to end the encroachments and illegal parking immediately.
Markazi Anjuman-e-Tijaran Central President, Sharjeel Mir, said that the encroachments have destroyed the natural beauty of the markets.
“Footpaths are also covered with encroachments and it has become difficult to walk on them. It is also impossible for women and children to walk while ambulances remain stuck in traffic,” he said, adding that the trade organisations will fully cooperate for the elimination of encroachments.
The Additional DC said that there was no room for encroachment in the city. “Traffic flow will be restored in every market of the city and encroachments, as well as illegal parking, will not be allowed in any bazaar during Ramazan,” she said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2023.
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