Lahore: People seek action against illegal gates, barriers

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Ali Raza
RESIDENTS of various housing societies especially ones under the jurisdiction of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) are waiting for strong action by the authority against hundreds of gates installed illegally.

The residents saw a ray of hope on Friday when the LDA’s anti encroachment staff pulled down two illegally erected iron gates in Bhatti Colony, Model Town Link Road, besides demolishing eight ramps and platforms at Peco Road.

LDA officials claimed that all these structures were causing impediments to movement of pedestrians, flow of traffic and ambulances and vehicles of emergency services in the area. They said the staff of the Town Planning Wing and Estate Management Directorate of LDA jointly carried out this operation to restore the right of way to these roads as per original plans.

Talking to The News, residents of various other localities such as Faisal Town, Johar Town, Iqbal Town, Township, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Samanabad, Sabzaar, Tajpura praised the LDA for taking action against illegally erected gates and barriers denying right of way to citizens. They, however, urged the authority to also start a massive campaign against the illegally erected gates and barriers in other localities.

Khurram, a resident of Johar Town said erecting a gate or barrier blocking the entry to a road especially in residential area has become a common sight in the city.

This indicates that the LDA and town administrations have failed to ensure a free passage to people. He said people living in one block also used to block the entry to roads by installing steel gates or barriers causing difficulties to residents of adjacent streets.

He said one could witness hundreds of such gates and barriers in Johar Town alone and despite repeated complaints and applications to various authorities no action had so far taken against these illegal structures. He appealed to the Punjab chief minister to pay a surprise visit to these areas to witness the gravity of the situation.

On the other hand, LDA officials said installation of gates on roads and barriers and construction of walls blocking entry from one society to another was an illegal activity and was also banned by the Lahore High Court in past.

A survey of various city areas revealed that majority of the private housing societies such as WAPDA Town, NESPAK, Canal View, TECH Society, PCSIR, Gulshan-e-Lahore, Nasheman-e-Iqbal, EME Society, Valancia Housing Society etc have also blocked entry of general public to their area.

Residents of other localities such as Garden Town, Muslim Town, Shadman, Gulberg (some blocks), various roads in Cantonment area, Mughalpura, Tajpura, New Chauburgi, Samanabad etc have also installed gates and barriers on their roads to block entry of traffic and general public.

It is observed that most of the roads running parallel to main roads are also closed by residents to prevent motorists and motorcyclists from using them.

For example a road in Johar Town running parallel to the College road (from Khokhar Chowk to Mohammad Ali Chowk) is closed by resident by installing a big steel gate. An armed guard sits at the gate and does not allow any vehicle to enter unless it has a pass issued to the residents by a local society.

Residents of Sector C2, Township, recently erected big steal gates on the road linking the other blocks of the society as well as Green Town police station and Edhi Old Home to the main road.

The gate was closed and residents living nearby have to travel some two kilometres to reach the main road.

Another example of this violation is closure of all roads to Model Town Society at night. Residents of Faisal Town, Johar Town, Township, Green Town and many others nearby localities who used to travel through Model Town Society (MTS) are facing serious problem due to the barriers installed by the MTS on all of its 26 exit and entry points. After 7pm all these barriers except four main points are closed for traffic. Even the road leading to Ittefaq Hospital from Model Town is blocked with a barrier and residents of MTS as well as nearby areas have to adopt a very long route to reach the hospital.

Rabia, a resident of Model Town Flats, strongly criticized the government for its failure saying, thousands of people are living in S, Q, R blocks of Model Town, Pindi Rajputtan, Thalla flats and other private colonies and all of them were deprived of their right of way. “Under which law the government has allowed the MTS to deny entry to thousands of people,” she questioned.

The Model Town Society administration, however, asserted the move was initiated on the request of the residents because MTS has turned into a passage to other societies. They said four main entry and exit points of MTS have been left open for general public after 7pm and anyone could pass through the MTS through these points.

A senior official of City district Government Lahore (CDGL) said installation of gates and barriers to block public entry was an illegal act and all such gates and barriers were an encroachment on the road.

All concerned agencies such as the LDA, TMAs and the CDGL have termed installation of gates illegal but no one had taken action against this.

Meanwhile, the LDA continued its anti encroachment drive in its scheme area and utility areas of private housing schemes to remove these vicinities of illegal structures and other disorders that create hurdles in pedestrians’ movement, smooth flow of traffic as well as quick disposal of storm water from roads.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=157627