SC orders CDA to clear service road of encroachments

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to clear the Service road from encroachments near Centaurus Shopping Mall and submit compliance report within three days.

Acting Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed took strong exception of the deteriorating beautification of the federal capital, saying the beauty of city is no more as it was some 20 years back.

The acting chief justice was heading a three-member bench hearing a case of Pak Gulf Construction (Pvt) Ltd, the Centaurus Mall, Islamabad verses Capital Development Authority and other matters regarding encroachment on service road.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed asked CDA chairman as to why the whole service road was taken over by the shopping mall.

The acting chief justice asked the CDA boss about the steps taken so far for removing the encroachments on the service road.

The civic body chairman submitted that soon the encroachments will be removed, however, he expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of his staff, saying he can't trust his staff to accomplish the task of removing encroachments.

The CDA chairman however, informed the court that in order to remove encroachments, he has sought the help of Sparco, adding that satellite footages of encroachments will be taken by the organisation for removing the encroachments.

Justice Gulzar observed that Islamabad was made a capital of the country but not a trading city.

There was no need of establishing industries and commercial activities in the federal capital, the judge said, adding if industries were to establish then a separate city should have been established for this purpose.