Encroached pavements put pedestrians' lives at risk

With pavements at H- 9 service road, fully encroached upon by nurseries, the pedestrians have the sole option of a risky walk on mid of road, eventually leading to congested traffic, and hampering its smooth flow.

The nurseries owners somehow encroach the footpaths to display their products including plants, seeds, flowerpots, mud and American grass, forcing the pedestrians to have a risky walk to reach their destination.

Besides obstructing smooth traffic flow, the ongoing practice is hampering the mobility of pedestrians, visiting government offices and Metro Bus Station daily.

Residents of different sectors including H-8, H9 and others, while complaining about inaction of civic agency, said a strict action should be taken against the violators, who leave them in peril.

The nurseries owners, apparently in connivance with some officials of Capital Development Authority, have been running their businesses over the pavements for the last couple of years," said Azam Lodhi, a resident of H9 who used Metro Bus Station to reach his office.

To a query, he alleged that the officials visited the area many times but took no action to redress the issue.

Another aged resident, Akbar Khan, employed in a private security company, said he had lodged several complaints but of no avail. Akbar said he escaped accidents several times as the expansion of nurseries pushed him off the pavement and forced to walk in the mid of road. He pointed out that a large number of students including girls and children were using the Metro Bus Station on regular basis to reach their destinations but unfortunately they use roads for a walk which led to the traffic mess.

Amir Khan, owner of New Punjab Nursery said some 30, out of total 84 nurseries, were operating along the main service road of H-9, occupying the pavements, to eventually attracting the customers.

Years ago, the CDA had fined the violators but the owners again encroached

upon the pavements due to negligence of the departments concerned.

He said the issue had been raised in the meetings of Nurseries' Union meeting many time but no progress was made on the issue.

Muhammed Shafique, an Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) official said the department had been highlighting the issue at various forums for the last several years. It seemed that the CDA did not carry out a single operation against the encroachers, he added.

He admitted that the traffic flow was being disturbed in the area, especially during peak hours.

CDA Director Enforcement, Faheem Badsha said the action would be taken

soon and blamed the field teams for not pointing out the issue.