RAWALPINDI: In order to avoid any loss of lives and property devastation during monsoon season, Rawal Town Administration has issued eviction notices to the residents of more then 300 buildings in different localities of the garrison city that were declared dangerous or not fit for residence for crossing maximum limit of safety. On the directions of Administrator, Rawal Town, Assistant Commissioner Saif Anwar Jappa issued notices to the residents of the buildings with special instructions that no one should be spared in this regard as the protection of the lives of the citizens is the top priority of the city administration. The area inspectors have been instructed strictly to initiate process for the evacuation of residents from unsafe buildings to avert loss of human lives and property particularly during monsoon season.
The Rawal Town administration has asked the occupants of 300 ‘unsafe’ buildings to evacuate at the earliest, as it is necessary for their own safety. The fear of death and property loss haunts the families living in the ‘walled city’ as over 300 buildings were declared unsafe by Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) long ago but no action taken against them except in papers. The structures of these buildings are too old to be used anymore and could collapse in case of a tremor of moderate intensity, however no serious effort was made to either remove these structures or get them repaired.
The Rawal Town Administration is in the habit of serving eviction notices on families living in these building before the start of every monsoon. ‘This is a routine matter as it happens every year before the monsoon and most of such notices go unnoticed’, said one of the resident. Among these dangerous buildings are Government High School Ziaul Uloom of Raja Bazaar and Haveli Sujhan Singh of Bhabara Bazaar, while others are mostly houses.
According to a report 39 dangerous buildings are located in Bhabra Bazaar, 27 in Shah Chan Chiragh Mohallah, 15 each in Saidpuri Gate and Lunda Bazaar, 13 in Nishtarabad, 12 in Chittian Hattian, 11 in Peshawari Gali, seven in Mohallah Waris Khan, five each in Bohar Bazaar, New Sarafa Bazaar and Dhakki Mohallah, four in Nayya Mohallah, three each in Mohallah Niarian, Bazaar Talwaran, Purana Qila and College Road area, two each in Shah Chan Bazaar, Mochi Bazaar and Raja Bazaar, and one each in Chhachhi Mohallah, Alam Khan Road, Jhangi Mohallah, Rani Bazaar and Chowk Bansanwala and others.
Meanwhile, a central control room has also been established in Rawal Town office which will work 24 hours to monitor the flood situation and to make other arrangements to facilitate the residents particularly of low lying areas.
