ISLAMABAD: National Highway Authority (NHA) complained to a parliamentary panel on Thursday that the local administration is not cooperating with the authority in removing the encroachments from both sides of the motorways.

National Assembly`s Standing Committee on Communication met to discuss the single-point agenda regarding encroachments on the motorways. The meeting was chaired by MNA Sufyan Yusuf.

Earlier, this issue was raised by MNA Khalida Mansoor in the National Assembly in March. Following which, the NHA requested the assistance of local administration in removing the encroachments; however, they refused to cooperate.

NHA Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar briefed the committee that there are zero encroachments within 250 metres from centre line of the motorway, as both sides are completely fenced.However, he said, there are some encroachments in the building line area, which belongs to private owners.

He told the committee that no construction can be done without getting an NOC from NHA within at least 1000 metres on the either side of the centre line at all interchanges and service areas.

Mr Tarar also said that most the encroachments along the motorway, including houses and shops, were constructed by the encroachers on their own land before the construction of the motorway. However, the field staff serves regular notices to all encroachers for removal of encroachments.

He said that full cooperation of the police and local administration was required in order to take a stern action, as the NHA officials do not posses magisterial powers.

State Minister for Communication Abdul Hakeem Baloch apprised the committee that NHA could not take vigorous action against the people who encroach on their own land. He,however, assured that the authority will serve notices to all encroaches who did the construction before the motorway to get their land and buildings regularised from NHA.

The minister assured that the authority will keep an eye out for new construction, while no one will be allowed to construct any building without NHA`s approval.

The chair of the meeting then directed the NHA chief to take up the issue with the local authorities again and report the outcome in the next meeting. He was also directed to regularise all the encroached land.

Earlier, the meeting saw a verbal stand-off between MNA Sarzameen and Mr Tarar. The MNA claimed that the NHA chief had refused to meet him when he visited Mr Tarar`s office.

The MNA, then, boycotted the meeting, but the other members of the committee managed to bring him back.

The issue was resolved by the committee chairman and other members, at the end of the meeting.