Anti-encroachment: Encroachments to be removed from Walled City gates

Illegal constructions alongside WASA’s drain lines will be removed in the second phase.

LAHORE:

The city government’s anti-encroachment drive will soon reach the Walled City of Lahore and the Circular Road, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The drive began on February 18 and was halted for a day on Monday as the police assigned to town administrations were recalled to provide security at the world record attempts at the Punjab Youth Festival.

According to the town administration’s statistics, more than 2,885 permanent and 5,928 temporary illegal structures have been removed as part of the drive. More than 131 kanals of government land worth Rs3.675 billion has been recovered and 84.73km roads have been cleared of encroachments since February 18.

The city has been divided into three zones for the drive. Shalimar Town, Wagha Town and Aziz Bhati Town are in one zone; Ravi Town, Data Gunj Baksh Town and Samnabad Town in another; and Gulberg Town, Nishter Town and Iqbal Town in the third.

Additional Deputy Commissioner General Asfand Yar Baloch said the main markets and roads would be cleared in the first phase of the drive. “We will ensure that all main roads are covered.” He said they were working on determining the land ownership of premises near the Circular Road. “We don’t want to inconvenience landowners...we will extend the anti-encroachment drive there after our paperwork is complete.” In the second phase of the drive, the government will clear encroachments alongside WASA’s drain lines, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2014.