HYDERABAD, March 6 The district government has accelerated an anti-encroachment drive at main arteries of the city.

The campaign has been launched after District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil took personal interest in it despite facing pressure from some circles who advised him against it on the ground that it would lead to unemployment.

Mr Jamil had formed a committee, comprising some union council nazims, to supervise the campaign. A team of UC nazims, led by MNA Salahuddin, has visited various areas that remain clogged with encroachments with no space left for pedestrians.

The campaign that has been going on for a couple of weeks has led to protest by vendors.

Shopkeepers have constructed additional structure and projection of their shops for illegal use of the space on footpaths.

There are spots which, until recent past, had been in the use of eateries' owners at Liberty Chowk, Gari Khata, Tilak Charhi and Station Road. Now the situation is comparatively better at least in these areas. The pushcarts removed from the roads have been dumped near new water filter plant on Jamshoro road. “Pushcarts, juice machines etc on at least 30 to 40 trucks had been shifted to filter plant. It reflects that around 800 people have been affected so far. These people have tried to build pressure on the district nazim through different channels to get their properties back”, said a source.

Protests have also been staged by affected people, demanding return of their properties. Reports said that local leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had spoken to the district nazim but he had refused to show any leniency at least for the spots that witnessed chaotic traffic conditions regularly.

In a number of cases, shopkeepers have also moved court of law to sabotage the anti-encroachment drive.

Encroachments have surfaced over the years due to patronage by taluka municipal administration officials. Encroachers pay them money so that they could be protected. “These officials advised the encroachers to make hue and cry”, said a source.

Nowadays, the Liberty Chowk where one side of the road remained occupied by juice and sandwich sellers and roadside restaurants has been cleared. They have been confined to their own shops limits and road is being built on the space retrieved from them.

The drive is going on along with the city beautification campaign of the district government for which Rs13 million has been spent so far. Under the beautification drive, monuments have been erected on roundabouts and medians in addition to plantation.

It is learnt that for the beautification drive, Rs20 million is in the pipeline as the amount has been approved by district government.

The road from Kotri taluka limits to Fateh Chowk will be beautified with plantation and placement of flower pots on the median of Autobhan road.

Footpath is being built outside Lady Dufferin hospital and Government Girls Nazareth College to facilitate pedestrians. A monument has been built at St Mary roundabourt while work is likely to begin in Qasimabad near Sheedi Goth.

Reconstruction of the damages road of Qasimabad leading to Bhitai Nagar has been approved which would then be beautified.

Reports said that a meeting has been convened for March 7 by the district nazim to review the anti-encroachment drive and take further decision how to make it more effective.