The Estate Office, Ministry of Housing and Works has started action against encroachments and illegally constructed structures in government residences in the federal capital. “The final notices have already been issued to the residents of the government residences by the Estate office,” an official in the Ministry of Housing and Works told APP. The official said that the ministry has also decided to vacate government quarters from retired and relatives of late employees, who continue to occupy residences. “The purpose of the operation is to clear the government residences of encroachments,” he added. He said the ministry has also sought help from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the government residences fall under the administrative control of the Estate Office. The official said the ministry has decided to take action against the construction of extra rooms by the employees and their kith and kin that are living in government-allotted houses. He said that at present, over 17,000 government houses in Islamabad were under the management of the Estate Office and additional rooms had illegally been constructed by the allottees in over 2,400 residences. According to the sources, over 25,000 government employees were currently on the general waiting list to get accommodation but they could not be provided with the same as retired employees, their relatives, and relatives of even late government employees who continue to live in government quarters. The sources said they have constructed either an extra room or an entire floor on a government house. It has been decided to remove these encroachments from government residences, and soon a major operation will be launched against these illegal structures, the sources said. The Estate Office will also take action against the illegal use of land for commercial purposes and other types of encroachments.