Daily Times

Due to the alleged corruption in the department, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has failed to control the illegal housing societies looting the people in Rawalpindi.

According to available data, there are more than 162 illegal private housing societies in district Rawalpindi and have deprived thousands of people from their assets.

Data shows more than 36 illegal housing societies in the jurisdiction of RDA, 46 in the jurisdiction of Municipal Corporation and Pothowar Town, 49 in Tehsil Murree, 24 in Taxila, 6 in Gujar Khan and one illegal housing society in Tehsil Kotlisattian Rawalpindi. The approval of 27 private housing societies is under process in the concerned department.

The illegal housing scheme includes Gulshan-e-Kashmir Housing Society at Chakri Road, Sanghar Town, Palm City, Gulraiz Housing Scheme, Al-Haram City, New Iqra City and others. The business of the illegal housing schemes has increased during the last five years while the RDA officials have kept a blind eye on the matter.

Sources said that property dealers submit a plan and start advertisement with “RDA approved” tag even before getting the No Objection Certificate (NOC). The public body did not take any notice unless any complainant approaches them, and even then they merely issue a notice to the illegal business.

Social Media and the property websites are the best sources of advertisement of this illegal business where the property dealers attract the citizens by sharing fake information and pictures of their housing project. Furthermore, most of the illegal housing schemes have also opened their offices in Rawalpindi and other major cities of the country.

Tariq Ali, a resident of Satellite Town Rawalpindi said, the RDA officials themselves provide time to the illegal housing scheme for looting the people, as their action remains limited to issuing notices for many years.

Director Planning of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Jamshed Aftab said that the housing schemes in the jurisdiction of Pothowar town and the municipal corporation was managed by District Council; in the last meeting of the district development committee, the matter of private housing societies elsewhere in district Rawalpindi was transferred to the RDA.

“We have requested the district council to share the files of housing societies within their jurisdiction, and after receiving the requested information, we will take action against illegal housing scheme as per law”, he maintained.

Published in Daily Times, January 17^th 2019.