Increasing encroachments creating mess in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi : After the lifting of lockdown, all city areas including footpaths, roads and muhallahs are jam packed with encroachment, traffic all around in the city.

The traffic is seen everywhere due to increasing encroachments in all areas.

Ever-increasing encroachments in different localities of Rawalpindi have become a major problem for the inhabitants of the city whereas the authorities concerned are only busy in hollow talk and taking no prompt action to wipe out this menace. It was difficult even to walk for pedestrians in Raja Bazaar, City Saddar Road, Bara Bazaar, Trunk Bazaar, Kishmiri Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, Narnkari Bazaar, Adiala Road, Dalgara Bazaar, Fawara Chowk, Sadiqabad, Commercial Market and several other localities of city. The situation was not different here in Cantonment Board jurisdictions where encroachment mafia freely ruling here at Tench Bhatta, Chungi No22,

Tulsa, Sher Zaman Colony, Saddar, Scheme-III and several other areas.

Now, encroachment mafia has occupied both sides of main Murree Road, Rawal Road, Double Road and Sixth Road. The residents of these localities while talking to this scribe said that encroachments were the main reason behind traffic jams throughout the city because encroachers virtually occupy half of the roads.

The locals have strongly criticized the Metropolitan Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) for making tall claims regarding removal of encroachments from the city. “Pushcart owners were responsible for traffic jams in the markets, as they set up their business anywhere they want. The whole city became neat and clean when Commissioner Rawalpindi Division visited buy as concerned officer went off all areas filled with encroachment mafia, public denounced.

Municipal Officer (Regulation) Malik Tousif Ahmed told ‘The News’ that we are trying to remove all encroachments from all areas. We are continuously taking action against encroachments in city areas, he said. He also said that we have formed special squad to start crackdown against encroachment mafia.