Wah Cantt - The cantonment board authorities have virtually handed over roads and footpaths along main business centres of the city to encroachment mafia, as these areas have been occupied by the encroachers with no action on part of the authorities concerned.
During a survey conducted by this scribe on Sunday, it was observed that encroachers are occupying everything that is for public use i.e. from pavements to parks and from parking lots to roads. The shopkeepers and vendors in Nawababad Market, Aslam Market, Anwar Chowk, Laiq Ali Chowk, Lala Rukh Market and Lalazar Market have displayed their goods on footpaths, roads and verandas. This has forced the pedestrians including women and children, to walk on roads.
Expressing grave concern over the increasing encroachments, the inhabitants have demanded the authorities concerned to start a crackdown on encroachers. They said that almost all footpaths are occupied by encroachers. They viewed that that concerned authorities have turned a blind eye towards this situation which is creating unrest among masses.