MANSEHRA: The district administration and the National Highway Authority on Wednesday launched the third phase of anti-encroachment campaign on the Karakoram Highway.

The officials of the NHA, district council, municipal committee, revenue staff and police led by assistant commissioner Dr Qasim Ali Khan took part in the campaign.

“We are going well in destroying concrete and other encroachments at KKH in city limits and it is an encouraging sign that most of encroachers have already removed or destroyed their structures which come in right of way,” said Dr Qasim.

The machinery destroyed structures and billboards coming in the right of way from Commerce College to Baffa Doraha area.

A heavy contingent of police led by DSP Zulfiqar Jadoon also accompanied the team to deal with any untoward situation. The assistant commissioner said the operation would be spread continue up to Chaterplan area which was a boundary between Battagram and Mansehra districts.

He said notices were issued to a lot of people for pulling down illegal structures along KKH voluntarily to prevent crackdown.

The assistant commissioner said the anti-encroachment campaign was being carried out in phases.

He said NHA would widen the KKH up to its original limit of 44 feet in city area.

“We have bound NHA to widen the road to the area recovered from encroachers. The people want relief as encroachments frequently cause traffic jams there,” he said.

Dr Qasim said it was a misconception that the proposed expressway would use the KKH track in the city and on its suburbs as the expressway according to approved plan would be built outside the city before being linked with the city by an interchange.

He said the district administration was doing its level best to address chronic issues like traffic jams and that once the anti-encroachment drive ended, the people would be able to use KKH in Mansehra district without hassle.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd , 2014