People hail anti-encroachment campaign

Islamabad: The residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad Monday appreciating the government’s vigorous campaign against encroachment said it must continue till its logical conclusion to purge the violators once forever and re-emergence must be monitored.

The Korang Nullah, Kashmir Highway, Bani Gala, Faizabad, Sector G-12 and F-7 in Islamabad were major areas where Capital Development Authority took action against encroachers. While Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) carried operation in People’s Colony, Bakra Mandi and Saddar.

Capital Development Authority has removed kiosks, pushcarts and shops and have razed houses and plazas which were built without the concerned department’s approval. A woman, Naheed Aslam encouraging the move said it has helped remove all those vendors selling unhygienic foods outside the schools and the parents feel their children were safe now.

After consuming these substandard edibles sold at these pushcarts children were prone to catch diseases and now they come home with their lunch boxes finished, the healthy food being prepared by the caring hands of mothers, she added.

The step was a sigh of relief for people having parking issues and free movement as they have to park their vehicles in chaos because vegetable and fruit vendors had occupied the areas mostly around their offices and working places.

They said the issue had been raised in previous regimes but no attention was paid to this chronic problem and public concern. The shopkeepers said due to encroachments their business was being affected as majority of customers avoids visiting markets for not enjoying free mobility and availability of parking near to their target areas for shopping and buy edibles.

The shopkeepers expressed satisfaction for widened roads after operation helping their business flourish. The students, who used institutions’ buses for pick and drop, said earlier their buses remained stuck for hours in narrow lanes but now they reach schools in time and back home as well.