Anti-encroachment operation: CDA gets land worth Rs20 bn vacated from Centaurus Mall

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday vacated 15 acres of government land from management of Centaurus which was illegally occupied for 10 years.

Enforcement and Building Control Section of CDA jointly conducted operation against encroachments and illegally established rooms early morning. According to Member Estate CDA Khushal Khan the worth of this land is around Rs20 billion and Civic body will soon auction the plot. On the occasion, member Estate appreciated the efforts of the entire staff and announced an honorarium of two basic pay.

When CDA teams started operation, the staff of Centaurus Mall strongly resisted and threw stones on the teams of CDA, resultantly many officials of CDA including director Enforcement seriously injured.

Meanwhile Enforcement Directorate of CDA has carried out a comprehensive operation in the Blue Area and removed many encroachments and barriers which were illegally installed in front of different plazas.

The operation was supervised by Director Enforcement while Director Roads, senior special magistrate, officers of concerned formations and heavy contingent of Islamabad police also participated in the operation.

The joint operation was conducted against the encroachments established in front of different plazas including Saudi Pak Tower, Ufone Tower, ISE Tower and other building of the Blue Area. During this operation barriers and iron fences were removed from the front of the Ufone Tower.

Similarly, one illegally constructed scanning room was demolished in addition to the removal of two security barriers installed illegally in front of ISE Tower while two security cabins placed illegally in front of Saudi Pak Tower were also removed.

Mayor of Islamabad and Chairman CDA Sheikh Anser Aziz said that encroachments in the city could not be tolerated.

Placement of barriers and iron fences on the road not only affect free movement of the general public but also disturb the beauty of the road side. He said that authority was acting upon consolidated strategy to eliminate encroachments completely from the city. He said that operation against encroachments would be carried out without any fear or favour. He said that mechanism had been devised so that reoccurring of encroachments is curtailed.