The Cantonment Board Peshawar plans to demolish decades-old flats, shops and workshops situated at the corner of Saddar and Fakhr Alam roads, in order to focus development of the cantonment areas, and increase its revenues by building plaza and shopping malls.
This was stated by CBP chief executive officer Hassan Watto while briefing media persons at CBP hall on Saturday. Watto said that the structures to be demolished soon include six workshops, six flats, nine shops, four garages and one veranda. He said the building was located a very important location over a piece of four canals land but its total monthly revenue was Rs 74,422 while another building located at a six marla land was generating Rs 250,000 which means that the revenue generation could be increased manifold.
"The tenants are not ready to increase the rent and just staging protest demonstrations which is not the right way," he said and added that the shopkeepers had possessed six shops at a monthly rent of Rs 7,600 for past 60-years, four garages at Rs 11,741, six flats at Rs 22,525, nine shops at Rs 31,630 and one veranda at Rs 920.
"We had issued notice to the tenants on September 27, 2012 but they are avoiding vacating the building despite the fact that they have no agreement with cantonment board and possession of the shops after the notices is illegal," he said. Watto said that the CBP will follow the law, saying that shopkeepers had obtained stay order from Peshawar High Court against demolishing of the shops till June 5 but many of them had submitted applications for voluntary shifting to other places. "We will start demolishing the shops soon as the CBP has to increase its revenue with passage of time in order to expedite work on the improvement of civic issues," he added.