CDA indifference fuels G-8 encroachments

Residents accuse authorities of ignoring violations, conducting cosmetic operations

ISLAMABAD:

Rampant encroachments in Islamabad's Sector G-8 have transformed once orderly streets into congested corridors, with residents accusing city authorities of indifference and ineffective crackdowns.

Despite years of complaints, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) have failed to curb the spread of unauthorized car showrooms, workshops, and informal businesses that have taken over service roads, open spaces, and footpaths across G-8 Markaz and adjoining sectors.

Car showrooms remain the worst offenders - occupying sidewalks and service lanes as private parking and display areas. In G-8 Markaz and G-8/4, pedestrians are forced to walk on main roads as pathways remain blocked. Residents allege that CDA enforcement teams routinely ignore these violations or conduct token operations that leave major encroachers untouched.

"The situation has become unbearable," said a G-8 resident. "We can't even park near our homes because showrooms and workshops occupy every space. CDA only acts when the media highlights the issue, and even then, it's just for show."

Traffic congestion has become routine around the commercial hub and nearby government offices including AGPR, PEMRA, PTCL, and the Post Office. Locals complain that the ITP's response remains limited to temporary fixes like placing cones or deploying officers briefly, while illegal parking and roadside obstructions go unchecked.

Urban planners and civic activists describe the unchecked sprawl as a symptom of weak urban governance. "Either the CDA's enforcement wing is under pressure from commercial lobbies or it simply lacks the will to act," said a former CDA official. "Such neglect not only mars the city's image but also punishes law-abiding citizens."

Residents are calling for sustained, meaningful action - including the removal of illegal showrooms, strict enforcement of parking and zoning laws, and continuous monitoring to prevent re-encroachments.

Until such steps are taken, they warn, Sector G-8 risks losing its planned urban identity altogether, becoming yet another overcrowded and unlivable commercial sprawl in the heart of the federal capital.