Encroachers Occupy Roadside City Areas

Roadside encroachments in different areas of the city have become a nuisance for the motorists and pedestrian as the authorities have turned a blind eye toward the issue

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Dec, 2020 ) :Roadside encroachments in different areas of the city have become a nuisance for the motorists and pedestrian as the authorities have turned a blind eye toward the issue.

Vendors and shopkeepers have occupied roads and footpaths in busy commercial areas of Chungi no 22, Bara Market, Sadiqabad,Muslim Town, Commercial Market,Saidpur Road, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Asghar Mall Road, Ganjmandi Road, Dhoke Mangtal Road and Bagh Sardaran, Namak Mandi, Narnkari Bazaar, Fawara Chowk, Trunk Bazaar,Jamia Masjid Road and other areas.

Due to mushroom growth in footpath encroachments, pedestrians facing great difficulties and traffic remains choked for hours in most of the areas in the city.

Though, a number of anti-encroachment drives were launched by the authorities but the situation never changed in the town as owing to the encroachments, not only the motorists but also pedestrians face trouble.

City traders have also expressed concern ever increasing encroachments and demanded the departments concerned to remove illegal encroachments to end frequent traffic jams which was effecting their business.

The residents of these localities said that encroachments were the main reason behind traffic jams throughout the city because encroachers virtually occupy half of the roads.

Anjum, a resident of Dhamial said that the encroachers have occupied both sides of the roads and left no space for car parking in the bazaars or even walkway for pedestrians.

"The authorities should come up with an effective strategy and concerned officials should pay surprise visits at different times in the day to remove the encroachments," Inam Abbasi, another resident of Adiala road, said that apart from traffic jams we are also suffering from noise pollution.

When contacted, an official of MCR informed 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.