ISLAMABAD: After failing to control business activities in residential areas, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started flexing its muscles against pushcarts and small stallholders selling fruits and vegetables.

A team of the CDA enforcement directorate supported by the Islamabad traffic police on Friday carried out an operation near Khanna Pul along the Islamabad Expressway and removed the illegally established stalls of fruits and vegetables.

The enforcement department not only confiscated four truckloads of material belonging to the fruit and vegetable sellers but also dug trenches to stop buyers from approaching the site.

It may be noted that a former chairman of the CDA had even proposed to establish a weekly bazaar at the same spot. Those selling fruits and vegetables there were assured that they would be allotted space in the well organised weekly bazaar.

In 2011, the then chairman CDA, Imtiaz Inayat Ilahi, told mediapersons that the civic body planned to establish a weekly bazaar at the same spot, adding the stallholders would be allotted space at a nominal fee. He had acknowledged that there was no such facility in the whole area.

Enforcement staff carry out operation against pushcarts and small stallholders near Khanna Pul

There is no bazaar established by the CDA for a vast area from Margalla Town, Shahzad Town, Tarlai, Lehtrar Road up to the PWD Colony and areas around the airport falling in Rawalpindi.

This is the reason the place has become a cluster of more than 200 fruit and vegetable sellers.

The demolition of the local market irked many buyers, as a large number of residents had to go to Lehtrar Road or airport to buy fruits and vegetables.

“The prices of fruits and vegetables here are competitive to the rates at the Sabzi Mandi,” said Sajid Hussain, a resident of Jhanda Chichi in Rawalpindi. “Many people buy green grocery from this market every third day.”

While the officers of the authority might be taking pride in demolishing the ‘illegal’ fruit and vegetable market, business remained as usual in the upscale sectors.

The drive against the non-confirming use of commercial buildings was initiated in July during which the CDA demolished and closed a number of commercial outlets in the residential areas of Sector F-6 and F-7.

However, all these outlets have not only repaired the damages done by the CDA enforcement staff but some of them have even offered discounts to attract customers.

Meanwhile, the officials shift the blame to each other.

“We can only shut down the premises, lift some material or even damage the buildings,” said Asia Gul, the deputy director general enforcement, adding: “But the long-term solution lies in penalising the culprits who violate the laws. Either their allotments should be cancelled or the premises be sealed.”

This means that the blame is shifted to the building control and the law departments.

Despite directives by the Islamabad high Court in June 2014 to demolish all business activities in the residential areas, the CDA still seems directionless in controlling the non-conforming use of buildings.

But the authority still hopes to abide by the IHC directives.

“Eradicating encroachments or closing businesses is a complicated issue because we have to follow the rules and law,” CDA spokesman Asim Khichi said, adding still there were businesses operating in residential areas that have stay orders from the courts.

Published in Dawn, November 22th , 2014