Daily Times

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has issued recovery notices worth Rs 1.5 billion to some 13 housing societies to be submitted in the next four months.

According to the documents available with Daily Times, 13 housing societies have been told to submit fees under the category of access charges, extension of development period, change in approved layout plan and carrying out development without obtaining no-objection certificate (NOC).

In Zone-2 Islamabad, eight housing schemes – including Cabinet Division Housing Society, Engineers Housing Scheme, Khayaban-e-Kashmir 1 Housing Scheme, Margalla View Housing Scheme, Ministry of Interior Housing Scheme, Multigarden 1 Residential Scheme, Tele Garden Housing Scheme and Zarkoon Heights have been told to pay Rs 181.890 million, Rs 71.25 million, Rs 261.003 million, Rs 93.105 million, Rs 94.936 million, Rs 337.442 million, Rs 83.878 million and Rs 16.21 million, respectively for various violations.

In Zone-5 Islamabad, five more residential schemes, including Bahria Town Phase-7, Capital Enclave, CBR Town, Gulberg Town and Jinnah Town have been directed to pay Rs 3.897 million, Rs 41.459 million, Rs 34.494 million, Rs 189.709 million and Rs 91.437 million, respectively, for violation CDA by-laws.

It might be mentioned that the civic body had already issued a notice to Naval Anchorage Islamabad over alleged expansion of the residential scheme without seeking approval from authorities concerned.

Moreover, notices were also issued to NHA, Police Foundation, Multi-professional Housing Scheme and Jammu and Kashmir Housing Scheme.

Following the issuance of notices, an official in the CDA’s Planning Wing told Daily Times that the approach adopted by the civic agency would encourage other housing societies to violate by-laws and submit fine afterwards.

He said that if a housing scheme had been developed without obtaining a NOC then it should be demolished according to laws.

“A couple of housing schemes has converted playgrounds, graveyards, greenbelts, public parks into commercial and residential buildings but the CDA had only issued notices to them. “Such societies should have been demolished instead of issuing notices,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, January 14^th 2019.