Encroachments narrowing roads in Potohar Town

* Citizens urge tehsil administration to take stern action against encroachers

RAWALPINDI: Encroachments are on the rise in Potohar Town as shopkeepers and vendors have occupied most of footpaths and open spaces in the area, resultantly hampering road traffic besides creating troubles for pedestrians.

The encroachers have set up their stalls at main roads, including Adiala Road, Dhamial Road, Chakri Road, Morgah, Misrial Road, Kotah Kalan, Dhama Morr and several other areas.

In many areas, handcart bazaars have been established, occupying both sides of roads due to which the citizens face problems. The encroachments also hamper smooth flow of traffic.

Chakri Road, which is nearly 120-feet-wide, is shrinking owing to encroachments and about two-kilometre-long stretch near Biscuit Factory Chowk has now become a hub of vehicle repairing workshops. Vegetable and fruit shops, restaurants, motor showrooms and building material godowns have also been established in the area.

Adiala Road, Dhamial Road, Morgah and Kota Kalan are congested areas and need attention of the authorities concerned. These localities are administratively under the control of Potohar Town, but it seems that the authorities concerned are least interested in removing encroachments and have turned a blind eye towards the issue.

Though, a number of anti-encroachment drives were launched by the authorities concerned, but the situation never changed in the town.

The traffic remains blocked at main roads, as shopkeepers have encroached both sides of the road further narrowing it. The traffic mess on the road creates problems for the area residents and the motorists besides creating noise pollution.

Talking to APP, a visitor said that the authorities concerned should launch a comprehensive drive to remove encroachments from the area, which should be followed by strict monitoring so that the road could not be encroached upon again.

Faisal, a resident of Dhamial Road, said that encroachers have occupied both sides of road and left no space for car parking. He said the staff of the department concerned only visits the area once in the morning to remove the encroachments but as soon as they leave the encroachers again set up their stalls there. “The authorities should come up with an effective strategy and officials should pay surprise visits at different times in the day to remove the encroachments,” he said.

Arif, another resident of the area, said that apart from traffic jams we are also suffering from noise pollution. “The higher authorities should take notice of the negligence of the department concerned,” he added.

Goods displayed on the road, outside shops must be confiscated and the encroachers should be fined heavily as warnings and routine action of anti-encroachment personnel have totally failed to remove the encroachments.

The citizens urged the tehsil municipal administration to take stern action against the shopkeepers, vendors and fruit and vegetable handcart owners for creating hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic. Encroachments in different localities of the city have become a nuisance not only for motorists, as they create traffic jams, but also for the residents of these areas, but the authorities are paying little attention towards the problem. One can observe traffic jams on the road just because of these encroachments