RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) on Friday served notices to 760 commercial outlets, directing them to vacate residential areas within a month.

RCB spokesperson Qaiser Mehmood told Dawn the civic body had issued notices to 222 private schools, 14 salons, 14 clinics and hospitals and 760 commercial shops and plazas established in residential areas.

He said notices have been served to property owners and that the civic body will start sealing properties after a month, if the owners of these operations do not move out of residential areas.

760 outlets issued notices for conducting commercial activities in residential units

He said if the owners of these houses are not able to vacate their buildings, their lease agreements will be cancelled. RCB can impose heavy fines on those found guilty of non-conforming use and can even cancel their lease agreements if the violations continue.

Property owners will have to pay a fine and submit a written assurance with the RCB that they will not carry out commercial activities in their residential units in the future in order to get their allotments restored, he said.

Mr Mehmood added that RCB has started a survey of buildings under its administrative control which will be completed by the end of September.

He said that according to an initial survey, more than 760 homes on Peshawar Road, Westridge and other areas are being used by beauty parlours and clinics, boutiques, educational institutions, private offices and others.

The civic agency has also received many complaints from locals regarding commercial activities as their streets and lanes have been turned into market places, he said.

The enforcement cell has removed sign boards from some beauty parlours and educational institutions being run out of houses. Their water connections have also been disconnected and will not be restored till the non-conforming use ends, he said.

Cantonment Traders Association General Secretary Zafar Qadri told Dawn traders were against the conduction of commercial activities in residential areas.

“There is a need for defining commercial areas in the cantonments. However, non-conforming use happens with the help of RCB officials. This is also hurting the business of those who have properly set up shops in market places,” he said.

Shops and plazas have been constructed in residential areas but how were they constructed there in the first place, he asked.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2018