Encroachments still disrupt urban spaces

LAHORE:

Like the preceding years, this year too, the Punjab government has announced an operation against encroachments however, considering the immutable nature of the problem, it appears unlikely that the crackdown will bring any long-lasting improvement in the encroachment problem.

According to documents obtained by The Express Tribune, operations against illegal encroachments are under way in 41 districts of 10 divisions of the province, with the highest number of operations carried out in Lahore division. A total of 55,361 operations were carried out in Lahore and three other districts, where more than 3,000 shops were sealed, fines worth more than Rs400 million were imposed while 500 cases were registered. In the aftermath, more than 5,000 permanent, and more than three million temporary encroachments were eliminated.

Although encroachments have been plaguing law-and-order in the province throughout the past twenty years or so, the government’s failure to crack down against officials taking bribes from encroachers has allowed the pestering practice to persist.

Afzal Ahmed, a patwari, confirmed that there were many shops and houses that were listed only on paper. “In this regard, the new government rewards them to its servants or increases the rent and security amount by giving eviction notices,” said Ahmed.

Muhammad Hussain, who runs a restaurant in Lahore, confirmed that the government had allowed several generations of their family to run their business on government land by taking bribes. “This process has been going on for the past 25 years. The staff of the municipality clears the matter by taking money. This trend sees no end,” said Hussain.

“The incoming governments take the records from the servants of the old governments and give them to the people of their party. This process generates revenue while also allowing new money to flow into the treasury in the form of security,” revealed Former DG Local Government Masood Mahmood Tamana.

Urban Town Planner Mian Sohail Hanif believed that the town planning department was to blame for encroachments in the province. “For revenue, they themselves first impose taxes in the markets under the guise of marketing and do not legalize them. Shopkeepers and contractors pay compensation to the municipality and the corporation on a monthly and annual basis. Unless the municipalities and corporations formally declare markets as commercial and non-commercial with effective planning alongside legally taxing them, encroachments will continue to be established,” opined Hanif.

On the other hand, Tanveer Ahmed Khan, a former Chief Corporation Officer, pointed out the fact that the political nature of encroachments led to their establishment and eventual removal, highlighting the need for better legislation and town planning.

Speaking to the Express Tribune, Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari, indicated that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif was committed to conducting the anti-encroachment operation fairly and planned to rehabilitate unemployed individuals impacted by these actions. “The government does not wish to create unemployment. Clearing encroachments and addressing the resultant challenges faced in markets is crucial to ensure the smooth flow of traffic,” said Bukhari.