RAWALPINDI: The departments responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and proper functioning of the city have failed in their duties as illegal encroachments in the form of stalls and hand-carts have become a common sight.
According to the rules laid out by the Punjab Local Government, no illegal encroachments should be established on state land, and it is the responsibility of the Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi to remove these encroachments.
A recent survey has shown that the encroachments have taken over the city, leaving no place for customers to shop.
The rampant illegal parking of cars and motorcycles, even in the presence of traffic police, has caused massive traffic jams and even led to accidents.
According to an official, Jumma Khan, a cart vendor from the Raja Bazaar area claimed that the authorities turn a blind eye to these encroachments as monthly payments are made to keep the officials quiet.
The President of the Traders Welfare Association of Punjab, Sharjeel Mir, warned that traders may be forced to shut down their businesses if the problem of encroachments continues to worsen.
He has asked the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to address this long-standing issue.
The President of Moti Bazar, Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, called on the metropolitan corporation and traffic police to fulfill their duties by removing the encroachments from the city’s busiest roads.
He has also demanded that the government devise a plan to shift wholesale markets to the proposed ring road to ease traffic congestion.
