ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Monday moved its machinery and staff to Bahria Enclave to retrieve encroached state land but they did not enter the main gate claiming the housing society had voluntarily agreed to remove the encroachment on its own.

However, in adjoining areas, the civic agency conducted an operation and removed a large number of illegal structures built on the state land.

The enforcement directorate officials along with the police reached the main gate of Bahria Enclave and, according to the CDA, witnessed the operation which was launched by the housing society.

Read: IHC dismisses plea for stay against operation

By late night, the housing society had partially removed the main gate of the enclave and demolished several shops attached to it.

“Almost 20 kanals adjoining to the gate have been retrieved,” a CDA official told Dawn outside the gate.

“Upon expiry of the deadline, CDA and the ICT administration planned a comprehensive operation to retrieve the state land but before the operation was initiated Bahria Enclave administration started demolishing the illegal structures on its own,” he added.

The enforcement directorate officials, police reach main gate of Bahria Enclave, witness operation by the housing society

Initially, the Bahria Enclave administration demolished the Medical Care City building while 35pc of the entry gate was also pulled down. Furthermore, different commercial buildings were being vacated for demolition. The Red Chilli Restaurant has also been vacated for demolishing,” said a press release issued by the CDA.

It said the CDA and the Islamabad administration had planned the operation to retrieve 510 kanal and six marala land under the illegal occupation of Bahria Enclave.

The CDA had issued notices not only to the Bahria Enclave administration but also to residents of buildings constructed illegally on the state land for voluntarily vacating the land.

Out of the total 510 kanals, according to Bahria Enclave’s recent letter in response to the CDA notice, 400 kanals was lying vacant which can be taken over by the civic agency.

The housing society claimed that the remaining land was a public area, including a free dispensary and children’s park and a zoo. The housing society has also expressed its willingness to pay to the CDA against this 110 kanal land.

According to the CDA record, there are seven houses, two commercial buildings, a hotel and a zoo partially built on the 110 kanals.

The CDA conducted operations and removed a large number of encroachments alongside the main road leading to Bahria Enclave up to its main gate but could not start action against the properties built on the state land inside the enclave.

The civic agency demolished 144 rooms, 60 shops, nine containers, 18 building material stalls, 11 hotels (huts type), seven marble stalls, two block factories, three kiosks, two boundary walls, two marble factories, two nurseries and four service stations.

These encroachments were located in Mouza Kurri, Rehara, Malot and Balag.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Afridi told mediapersons outside the Bahria Enclave entrance that during the operations a large number of encroachments had been removed from the state land.

He said out of the 514 kanals, commercial encroachments had been removed from 65 kanals.

He said action would also be taken against those CDA officials whose alleged connivance had resulted in the encroachments on state land.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2018