PESHAWAR, March 22: The Cantonment Board is likely to take action against shopkeepers at Shoba Chowk, Khyber Bazaar, who are not removing illegal structures voluntarily, officials told Dawn.

“Eighty per cent of the anti-encroachment drive has already been completed at Shoba Chowk, Khyber Bazaar, because the shopkeepers voluntarily removed their illegal structures,” said the official, adding that action might be initiated against the rest of 20 per cent.

“We do not need to issue warning after warnings to those not complying the directives, because under the law, we can initiate anti-encroachment drive at any given time,” he said.

He said that some of the shopkeepers in Saddar and Khyber Bazaars and Shoba Chowk, also paid some amount as temporary ground rent (TGR) to the Cantonment Board. The TGR, as per the agreement, could be terminated, whenever the land was needed by the Board.

An anti-encroachment drive was launched in Saddar in July last year with a view to widening roads and correct faulty telephone, electricity   and sewerage lines. The shopkeepers had been asked to push back their shops by four feet. Most of them cooperated with officials. While some received more harm when their shops were razed to the ground.