ISLAMABAD: Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Syed Tahir Shahbaz Friday said that the authority has worked out a comprehensive strategy for enhancement of revenue from municipal services to upgrade the civic facilities.

Addressing a press conference along with member administration, Munir Ahmad Chaudhry here in CDA headquarter, the Chairman said that the authority would generate millions of rupees on account of revenue by implementing the new policy.

The Chairman said that CDA has started beautification and up-gradation work in the federal capital in its available resources.

He said that we are trying to assign the artwork at underpasses through joint venture to minimize expenses. Talking about the election campaign, the Chairman said that CDA is in consistent contact with the Returning Officers and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

He said that the authority has removed 10500 illegal banners and 18 billboards form the city. He said that Islamabad is the only city of the country not allowing a single mega board of any political party.

Responding to a question about the kiosk (Khokha) policy, the Chairman said that CDA is working on Khokha policy in the light of the orders of Judicial Commission. Member Administration, Munir Ahmad Chaudhry informed the press briefing that CDA is conducting a survey about the billboards around the federal capital.

He said that these billboards would be allotted for advertisements through open auction in a transparent manner instead of assigning the job of allotting the billboards to an officer of the authority individually.

As per prevailing practice, Directorate of Municipal Administration CDA deals with the advertisements through billboards for a short term of three to 15 days while Chairman CDA is the authority to grant permission of one year.

The Member administration said that CDA has to recover Rs120 million on account of advertisement charges, adding that notices to defaulters have been issued for recovery.

He said that presently the civic body is generating Rs60 million from advertisements and after implementation of new reforms the authority would be able to get Rs300 million annually.

He said that the assignment of sanitation in fruit and vegetable market in Sector I-11 would be awarded to CDA’s Sanitation workers instead of contractor, enabling the authority to save Rs30 million which would also help to improve the sanitation quality of the market.

He said that shopkeepers would hang their business boards on their respective shops as per standard size, which would not only enhance the income for CDA but would also restore the beauty of market.

CDA has started the practice from Kohsar market, he added. (APP) Read more

Islamabad

On receiving support from Islamabad Administration and after the affectees have assured their full cooperation, the development work in sub-sectors G-14/2 and G-14/3, where the CDA is in possession of land, is in full swing, says an official of the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF).

The FGEHF is likely to start development work in Sector G-15/3 in a couple of months to give possession of alternative plots to the affected people of Sector G-14.

FGEHF Director General Mian Talaat Rasheed, when contacted, told ‘The News’ that the foundation had asked its consultant to complete designing of Sector G-15/3 and it was hoped that it would be completed in one month.

“We have already mobilised some machinery in Sector G-15/3 for ground levelling, but now the development activity will start as per plan,” he said.

He said survey of Built up Property (BuP) in Sector G-14/1 would start next week and task would be accomplished in one-month period. “The affected people who earlier were not allowing survey teams to start their job, have now soften their stand on seeing machinery moving in G-14/2 and G-14/3,” he said adding that the FGEHF management is monitoring the whole activity on weekly basis so that problems coming in the way could be addressed. Read more

RAWALPINDI – Deputy Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Muhammad Akram Soban, said that civic body has completed all the work at 6th Road Flyover pertaining to WASA in the given timeframe.

The Water Supply line of 24 inches diameter with length of 700 feet was laid on 24 January 2013 within shortest period of 4 days and sewerage line was completed on 15 February 2013 except 200 feet length due to non-excess to the site by Provincial Highway Department (PHD), which was also completed by the end of February 2013.

These facts have been conveyed time and again to PHD and district administration in writing but PHD continuously shifting their responsibilities to other service departments. He further told that due to some problems PHD failed to complete at grade road (service road) and road drainage system despite the inauguration of Flyover on 10th January 2013. Read more

ISLAMABAD  – The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has delayed eviction of squatters from Sector I-11 of the federal capital due to political pressure.

Sources said that CDA administration has decided to allot alternate plots in Sector I-11/2 to allottees of 487 plots in Sector I-11 occupied by slum dwellers.

The CDA had allotted 850 residential plots to the civic body employees in 1990, however, despite lapse of 23 years the sector could not be developed.

National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has directed planning wing to develop 250 residential plots in Sector I-11/2 in the first phase.

The plots would be allotted to affectees of Sector I-11/1.

When contacted, CDA Member Estate Management, Shaista Sohail said that solution of the situation would be sorted out after negotiation with the allottees of the said sector. Read more

ISLAMABAD – Supreme Court on Thursday directed officials of Capital Development Authority (CDA) to take strict action against those responsible in not carrying the apex court’s orders in 2006 regarding the conversion of a public park into a mini golf club.

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar MuhammadChaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Sh Azmat Saeed heard the implementation case of the apex court’s verdict on a park illegally converted into a mini golf club.

The Chief Justice in his remarks expressed displeasure for not complying with the apex court’s verdict and said that it has become a general practice to do so.

Justice Sh. Azmat Saeed said that a feeling of guilt would remain with CDA for using delay tactics
Munir Paracha, counsel for CDA apprised the court that most of the officers involved in the case have either been transferred or retired from service.

Paracha further stated that the authority had already written to the Establishment Division for taking action against those responsible.

Later, the court while disposing off the case, strictly directed the CDA to take stern action against the officers involved in not complying with the courts 2006 order. Read more

RAWALPINDI – Officials of Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA), in its ongoing operation against illegal constructions, has demolished eight buildings in Satellite Town, Rawalpindi. They also sealed four shops constructed without approved building plan.  Meanwhile, the authority challaned 1,520 shops in different parts of the city in its operation against encroachments.

and imposed fines of Rs1.4 million on them. They received the fines on the spot. They also confiscated total 70 truckloads of goods in the meantime. The operations were launched on the directives of Administrator Rawal Town Saif Anwar Jappa. The administrator directed the officials to carry on the operation and not to give relaxation to anyone.
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islamabad-rawalpindi freeway (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RAWALPINDI  – Rampant illegal constructions on New Morgah Road, Adiala Road, High Court Road and in other areas in the jurisdictions of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) go unchecked, as the concerned authority did nothing more than sending notices to the owners.According to sources, some officials of RDA admit that they could not take any practical action against the constructions without building plans and other illegal buildings due to political pressure. The citizens, talking to INP said that if the RDA officials could take any action due to political pressure or any other reason against the illegal constructions, they must not receive their salaries too from the authority. They said that if an authority was formed just to act against and regulate illegal constructions and its employees were not fulfilling the purpose, an inquiry should be conducted into the matter. Read more

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered all divisional commissioners to take stern action against land grabbers across the province. The CM had also taken strict notice of illegal grabbing of 400 kanals of land owned by an expatriate Pakistani in Donga Bonga (Bahawalnagar). He directed the Commissioner Sahiwal Division Barrister Nabeel Awan to submit a report after probing the matter. Read more

ISLAMABAD  – Sub-divisional magistrate (Sadr) Islamabad has banned any kind of construction within the limits of sub-sectors G-14/1, 2 and 3 and G-15/3 Islamabad for a period of two months. Under the ban, concreted and earthen constructions and transportation i.e. loading and unloading of construction material within the limits of sub-sectors G-14/1,2,3 and G-15/3 has been restricted for a of two months with immediate effect under section 144.

The order further stated that land in the sub-sectors G-14/1,2,3 and G-15/3 has been acquired for the development of housing scheme of Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation and some people were constructing houses in the said sub-sectors so as to increase compensation of built up property which is against the law.

The Sub divisional magistrate said that implementation on the order will be ensured and strict legal action against the violators will also be taken. Read more

ISLAMABAD  – Residents of sectors G-7, F-6 are facing problems due to the lack of efforts for cleanliness of these areas.

They pointed out that open plots are virtually full with garbage as residents dump garbage in those plots but sanitation staff does not ensure removal of garbage. Besides blocked sewerage lines in the streets are also a problem, they added. Talking to APP they complained that sanitation staff visits their areas after a week which turns the garbage in to heaps causing trouble for them.

Tahir Ali, a resident of F-6, said the issue had been brought to the notice of the CDA time and again. Even roads and streetlights were in poor condition while wild growth of grass was another problem, he added.

Heaps of garbage, scattered construction material are common scene.

They said and added pedestrians avoided footpaths due to wild bush and traffic on roads was messy.

Besides cleanliness, they also complained of growing encroachments in these sectors.

A CDA official said parks, streets and markets were regularly cleansed and added cutting of wild bush had also been started. Read more