Illegal occupation: District administration razes 100 encroachments to the ground

PESHAWAR:

As many as 100 illegally built structures were taken down by the district administration from Bala Mani Chowk near Kohat Road in the provincial capital on Wednesday.

The anti-encroachment drive began under the supervision of Municipal Corporation Peshawar (MCP) Administrator Zafar Ali Shah, DC Zaheerul Islam and the assistant commissioner, while officials of the police and traffic police provided security. However, traders agreed to demolish the remaining encroachments themselves and the district administration postponed the drive till Monday.

Speaking to the media, Shah said the anti-encroachment drive is part of the Peshawar Uplift Project. He added the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has directed the district administration, MCP and Peshawar Development Authority to clear all encroachments from the city’s roads before the project is initiated.

Meanwhile, DC Zaheerul Islam told The Express Tribune the city has been divided into eight zones for the anti-encroachment operation. “A majority of shopkeepers demolished their encroachments themselves out of fear of government action,” he said.

According to the DC, traders had illegally occupied 34 feet of the 70-foot-long road at Bala Mani Chowk. The area remained closed for traffic while the drive was carried out.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2015.