RAWALPINDI: Despite months of efforts to curb encroachment, key roads and public spaces in Rawalpindi are once again being overtaken by street vendors and makeshift stalls. After a temporary reduction in congestion, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) eased its monitoring activities, which led to a resurgence of illegal encroachments in areas such as Tench Bhatta, Lal Kurti, Mughalabad, and Kamalabad.
The return of these encroachments is causing significant disruptions to both traffic and pedestrian movement. The lack of designated parking spaces for rickshaws further contributes to the chaos. Residents have raised concerns about frequent altercations among commuters, particularly due to the absence of visible traffic police.
Citizens are frustrated by the limited effectiveness of the RCB’s anti-encroachment operations, which are typically conducted in the early hours of the morning before markets open. This approach has failed to achieve lasting results.
In response to the ongoing crisis, RCB officials have confirmed that a new large-scale operation is being planned. Notices have already been issued to vendors and shopkeepers, urging them to remove the encroachments voluntarily or face demolition.
