PESHAWAR, April 18: The anti-encroachment campaign launched by the Town Municipal Authority (TMA) failed to achieve the desired result as the people have reoccupied the roadsides in the area of Town-1.

Following the growing complains about the day-to-day traffic blockades, the TMA and traffic police had jointly launched the drive on April 17 and had initially removed encroachments from the Dilazak, Charsadda, Faqirabad roads and around the Faqirabad Bridge.During a visit to the area, it was observed that owners of Suzuki pick-ups, rickshaw drivers and handcart pushers had again occupied the areas from where they had been removed.

Drivers of pick-ups, parked in front of the district nazim’s office, said they were paying regular tax of Rs25 every day to the TMA. The drivers including Niamat Khan, Aqeel, and Sajjad Ahmed said they did not want to create traffic problems by parking their vehicles on roadsides but they had no other option either.