City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) has failed to remove encroachments from city roads, particularly being used as alternative routes by motorists while Metro Bus Service Project is being completed on Murree Road.
The residents of Raja Bazar, College Road, China Market, Circular Road, Saidpur Road, Banni, Jamia Masjid Road and other areas have been voicing their concern over the illegal occupation of roads by the encroachers, who park their vehicles and have set up all sorts of businesses on the roads, not only causing extreme traffic congestion but also creating problems for the pedestrians.
The citizens said that the encroachments are on the rise as the authorities failed to control the situation. They said the encroachments on Saidpur Road, Banni Chowk and Circular Road have become a headache, as they hampered the movement of traffic and the pedestrians.
The citizens urged the authorities to come up with a solution of the problem and remove encroachments without discrimination.
They said encroachments had not only marred the beauty of the town, but also damaged the roads as well, causing great hardships for the residents traveling through alternate routes available to them.
The situation has been made worse at Circular Road, College Road, China Market and Jamia Masjid Road as the shopkeepers have occupied both sides of the roads and footpaths.
The motorcycle dealers and auto workshops owners have also occupied both sides of Circular Road. “It has become a parking space for the encroachers while fruit sellers have set up stalls on the walkway and road,” Faizi a resident of the area said, adding that the phenomenon has become the biggest problems for the area residents.
Aamir, a resident of Saidpur Road, said the encroachers rule the area and the authorities should remove them. “The encroachers also litter the road by throwing garbage in the open. We have lodged several complaints with the administration but so far no action has been taken,” he added. He said that taxi drivers were also augmenting the problem, by parking their vehicles haphazardly on the roads.
It is pertinent to mention here that Punjab government had directed the city district government, to remove encroachments from all parts of the city for construction work of Metro Bus Service.