ISLAMABAD: The city managers have sought the intervention of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) in revamping the enforcement wing of CDA to enable it to cope with the increasing encroachments on state land.

The directorate of enforcement wing, which is supposed to remove encroachments, through a letter dated February 4 sought the help of CADD, informing it that for makingthefederalcapitalanencroachment-free city, there was a dire need for revamping the existing structures.In the letter, CDA drew the attention of the minister of state for CADD, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, towards the `multiplied amount of work in the field operations with emerging everyday new challenges faced due to great amount of pressure from land grabbers, bhatta mafia and illegal occupiers.

The letter was written to the minister in response to his recent directives to the enforcement wing not to conduct anti-encroachment operations in a haphazard manner but prepare a plan of action.

The civic agency through the letter informed the minister about the forms of encroachments and its plan of action, which required the overhauling of the enforcement wing.CDA added that it had to take action against various kinds of encroachments such as illegal housing societies, occupation of state land, illegal showrooms, katchi abadis, greenbelts and landscaping abuses, markets and roadside encroachments, illegal constructions and building violations, non-conforming use of land, illegal hotels, malls and workshops etc.

`All these have collectively turned into a challenge which calls for a complete revamp of the old and archaic patterned system of procedure with enhanced workforce, means of operations, machinery and simultaneous working in all corners of the federal capital, the letter added.CDA also sought permission for the creation of new posts of director general enforcement, three directors and five deputy directors, 20 additional directors and 60 inspectors.

Currently, the enforcement wing is headed by a director. But sources in CDA told Dawn that the enforcement wing was equally responsible for the mushroom growth of encroachments in the city.

`Without the involvement of the enforcement wing, even a shopkeeper cannot display toys outside his shop. So, the of ficials have their links among encroachers, they are hands in glove with them,` said a senior CDA official who requested not be named.