Operation underway against encroachments along project route

[Salman]

Rawalpindi



Punjab Chief Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif has directed the City District Government, Rawalpindi, to remove encroachments from all parts of the city in connection with the launch of Metro Bus Service and a drive is underway along the route of the project.



Metro Bus Authority Vice Chairman Khwaja Ahmad Hasaan said that the bus facility would be expanded to other big cities of the country under a phased programme as well besides Rawalpindi. He disclosed that Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif will lay the foundation stone of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service on February 28. He said that the Lahore Metro Bus Project is a living proof of Pak-Turk friendship and this friendship will further strengthen in future. He said that people who would benefit from this service would feel themselves as VIPs while travelling in the Metro buses, which would be made operational after 11 months from the time of launch of the project.



As per orders of the Punjab chief minister, Rawalpindi Commissioner Captain ® Zahid Saeed and DCO Sajid Zafar Daal have directed the administrator of the Rawal Town Tehsil Administration (RTTA) to launch a grand operation for eliminating all types of temporary encroachments from routes where work on Metro Bus Project has to be launched.



Following the orders of the Rawalpindi commissioner and DCO, the enforcement cell of RTTA started an operation on Monday against both temporary and permanent encroachments along Benazir Bhutto Road, Circular Road, Sabzi Mandi, Kallan Bazaar, Pirwadhai, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town and Liaquat Road and Raja Bazaar.



According to Senior Public Relations Officer Tahir Mahmood Khan, the anti-encroachment drive is being supervised by Town Municipal Officer Tashfin Nawaz who visited the sites where anti-encroachment drive was conducted. In all, 45 truckloads of goods were confiscated by the Enforcement Cell. The seized items of the encroachers would be auctioned and not returned to them. Besides this, the RTTA would also impose huge fines on encroachers to prevent them from re-establishing their business illegally along roads and outside shops. Traders and shopkeepers have been warned not to allow anybody to establish business outside shops failing which action would be taken against them under the law. The operation is launched from 6 a.m. and continues till late evening.



Besides removing encroachments from all routes, the Wapda has been directed by the City District Government, Rawalpindi, to remove all electricity poles within 10 days existing in the middle of roads and at roadsides. According to sources related to the project, a separate track would be constructed from Mall Road to Faizabad to operate Metro Bus Service, which would be completed in 11 months.



On the other hand, the business community of Rawalpindi is concerned over loss of property during the construction work of Metro Bus Service Project. Traders have urged the government to make an alternative traffic plan during work on the Metro Bus Project besides completing the project on time.



The shopkeepers having outlets on Benazir Bhutto Road while talking to ‘The News’ said the Metro Bus System is the need of the residents and they all welcome this decision, but their concern is about loss of their property and the government should give them reasonable compensation according to the market rate for their property.



Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Dr. Shimail Daud Arain while talking to ‘The News’ said that transport system for the city was the foremost demand of the chamber and it is a matter of great pleasure that finally government honoured chamber’s demand and approved a mega project of Metro Bus Service for the city. He said that Metro Bus Service is in the public interest and it should be completed at the earliest.



While commenting on the concerns of the affected persons, he said that for the best interest of the masses one should render sacrifices and detailed presentation by the commissioner had shown that how deeply they studied all consequences, however, the chamber will assist all affected persons and they will get compensation timely.



Rawalpindi Commissioner Captain ® Zahid Saeed said that the Punjab government has planned to maintain minimum loss of the property during construction work of Metro Bus Project in the city. He said that the current model and design was approved after many consultations with Nescom engineers and the prime focus of the design was to maintain minimum damages of business entities during construction work. “The affected persons will be awarded reasonable compensation according to the fair price or market value and RCCI will be consulted in this regard to avert any injustice,” he added.