RAWALPINDI, April 13: A task force will be constituted to undertake removal of encroachments in Nullah Leh expansion project.

This was decided at a Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) meeting held on Saturday to review the pace of work on the project. The meeting was preside over by Punjab secretary housing and physical planning Malik Najeebullah.

The task force will comprise officials of Tehsil Municipal Administration, cantonment board, development authority, and police.

According to an official survey, around 270 units, including houses, shops, and plots, come under the category of encroachments along Leh. The district government has time and again warned the encroachers to leave the area, but to no avail. The presence of encroachments is hampering the project work.

The other difficulty being faced by the agencies working on the project is the land acquisition and resettlement. The acquisition of land had to be completed by the end of February, according to a deadline given by the Asian Development Bank, but only 50 per cent occupants had been issued notices so far.

In view of the slow-paced acquisition work, the project has been divided into three phases — work on available area and bridges; work on areas located along the course of Leh; the remaining work.