Encroachments resurface in markets as TMA fails to control menace

Rawalpindi

Despite orders of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi, the civic body Tehsil Municipal Administration, Rawal Town has completely failed to clear encroachments from different parts of the city.

According to survey made of different parts of the city, encroachment mafia has once again surfaced in areas of Raja Bazaar, Jinnah Road, Liaquat Road, Barra Market, Dhoke Ratta, Commercial Market, New Katarian, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Dhoke Khabba, Murree Road, Tipu Road, Arya Mohallah etc. In all these aforementioned localities, the traders and shopkeepers have placed their valuables and items out of their shops. The stall holders have once again occupied footpaths to do their business which otherwise are meant only for pedestrians.

Whenever, the people draw attention of the authorities of TMA, its enforcement staff in order to hoodwink the public takes action only against the owners of the pushcarts while the valuables and items displayed outside shops creating traffic hurdles are not lifted.

Similarly, it has been learnt reliably and according to traders as well as shopkeepers, the enforcement staff before conducting any operation against the encroachers allegedly intimates them about their plan. This is because the shopkeepers and traders allegedly pay monthlies to the enforcement staff for displaying their items/valuables out of their shops and along roads. The head of the enforcement branch as well as inspectors of their respective areas never bother to discourage the displaying of items on road sides and shops by the owners. Rather they are allegedly in habit of gaining favors from the shopkeepers and traders, stopping them from taking action against the shopkeepers and traders who openly violate the laws.

When this correspondent interviewed several shopkeepers of various localities and asked about the placement of items outside their shops against the law, they did not express their fear at all over the question. Rather they alleged of greasing the palms of the enforcement staff of TMA for displaying their items out of their shops. Even if any person lodges complaints against us, the enforcement staff does not take action against us rather before conducting any operation the TMA employees inform us, they further alleged. After being told of any operation, we move the items inside our shops and after the completion of the drive of enforcement staff, we place the items back in front of our shops and on roadsides, the shopkeepers alleged.

The people of different localities expressed their deep concern over existence of encroachments particularly created by the shopkeepers and traders. They appealed to the Punjab chief minister to take notice of the matter and direct the TMA Administrator to remove all kinds of encroachments created by traders and shopkeepers with the placement of items out of their shops which results in traffic hazards.

On approaching to get comments, the Tehsil Municipal Officer, TMA, Rawal Town Mir Akmal defended the position of his body saying that he has evidence of action taken even against the shopkeepers and traders who violate the laws. May be there would be some black sheep in the civic body who spare the traders and shopkeepers during operation against encroachers, he said.

Mir Akmal claimed that the enforcement staff seizes items out of the shops and takes them into their custody. Anti encroachment drives are carried out on regular basis, TMO said. He did not agree that the enforcement staff informs the shopkeepers and traders prior to conducting of operations. However, he assured to look into the matter and take action against the staff who are found informing the shopkeepers prior to operation.

To a question related to encroachments in Barra Market particularly closure of road by encroachers from Liaquat Road to Bank Chowk, Mir Akmal expressed his assurance to visit the site on Wednesday and adopt a strategy to open the road by removing all sorts of encroachements.