RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Friday conducted a grand operation against unauthorised constructed commercial buildings and sealed 10 plazas along with Westminster School and fifteen shops in Wallayat Complex Bahria Town Phase-7 including Shell petrol pump, Saqib CNG and a restaurant on G.T. Road. These buildings were allegedly constructed in violation of the approved layout plan.

Land Use and Building Control (LU&BC) wing’s staff including director MP&TE, deputy director Building Control, building inspectors and others with the assistance of police from the police station concerned carried out an operation.

“The owners of these properties constructed illegal commercial buildings without approval/No Objection Certificates (NOCs), in violation of Punjab Development of Cities Act 1976 and RDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2020,” said an RDA spokesman.

He said the RDA director general has directed the LU&BC Wing to take strict action against encroachments, illegal/unauthorised constructions and commercial activities without any fear.

The general public should also show moral responsibility and remove every type of encroachment as much as they can, so that they could avoid any further loss, he said, adding owners of the properties carried out development work in different areas illegally, without approval of lay out plan (LoP) from the authority.

The public has been advised in their own interest that they should not make investments in unauthorised areas and for high rise buildings as the same are not approved and allowed by the authority.

RDA suggests that citizens should consult the authority before investing in such projects as the civic agency will not be responsible for their losses, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2021