TAXILA: In a joint operation by the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and the police, Taxila Chowk was cleared of moveable and immovable encroachments on Thursday.

Counters and sheds in front of shops, stalls and stands, as well as scores of carts, were removed from both bays of the G.T. Road because they had hindered the flow of traffic and inconvenienced commuters.

A team of anti-encroachment officials led by the chief officer of the municipal committee Mian Mohammad Usman launched the operation in the early hours of Thursday while carts were starting to occupy pavements and service lanes on either side of the G.T. Road. The operation continued until the afternoon.

Dozens of truckloads of material, including carts, stalls, sugarcane juice extracting machines and boards were confiscated in the operation. A heavy contingent of police was deployed during the crackdown to prevent any untoward incidents. Similar operations were also carried out on Faisal Shaheed Road and Thatta Khalil Road.

Mr Usman told the media that hundreds of encroachments were removed from public points in the day-long operation.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2018