Daily Times

LAHORE: The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has retrieved 800-marla land from illegal occupants during an operation carried out in the area of Harbanspura on Monday.

The land is estimated to worth more than Rs 300 million. An operation was taken out under the recently launched ‘Anti-Encroachment Operation’ by CDGL. The purpose of the drive was to retrieve precious land of the state from land mafias and also to clear footpaths and service lanes of all main roads of the city.

Shalimar Town Assistant Commissioner (AC) Arshad Bhatti led the operation, which was initiated by the Anti-Encroachment Force, by using bulldozers and other heavy machinery, demolishing several houses and mansions (havelis) built on the disputed land.

The Baghbanpura and Burki deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) along with the assistance of police reserves and town municipal administrations (TMAs) officials were present on the occasion.

AC Arshad Bhatti said that several notices were issued to the land grabbers who were illegally residing there, but they constantly ignored those instructions and notices. He said that 40-canal piece of land has been retrieved from the land mafia, which was occupied illegally on the state property for last several years.

Similarly, the Ravi Town administration held an operation against encroachment in their respective areas at GT road. The administration cleared two and half kilometres service lane from both sides of the GT Road. The town administration said people of the respective area had illegally set up their stalls of tea, junk food, vegetables and fruits etc, which have now been removed. The administration on the occasion also confiscated several trucks filled with the different stuff.

In a press statement issued on Monday, DCO Lahore captain (r) Muhammad Usman said that there would be zero tolerance on encroachment and all encroachments on footpaths would be removed on urgent basis. He said that crackdown would continue till the end of encroachment from footpaths of all main roads of the city, adding that directions have been given to all town municipal administrations to monitor the removal of encroachments by themselves.