Housing schemes have transformed into land mafias and are holding upon land in sectors including D-12, D-13, G-12, G-13, I-12, I-13 of the capital.
Officials of the Directorate of Enforcement of Capital Development Authority (CDA) as well as the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) said that given the extent of encroachment, the administration would never be able to take full possession of these sectors.
CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi said that the civic agency was aiming to build around 51,000 residential units in these opening sectors by 2011, but the encroachers had stalled the authority’s efforts. “Stern action would be taken against housing schemes that have illegally occupied government owned land,” the chairman added.
Talking to the Express Tribune, CDA officials said that if new residential units in various sectors like E-12, D-12, I-14, I-15, I-16, G-7, G-13, E-11 were completed, housing shortage in the capital could be reduced by 70 per cent.
Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Amir Ahmad Ali stated that 28 approved housing schemes operating in various sectors had occupied half of their total covered land illegally. “The schemes are approved but they have been holding onto land more than allowed or prescribed by the authority,” he said.
“These encroachers have become so resilient that they don’t hesitate to react violently to any move by the CDA, the ICT Administration or even the Islamabad police,” he added.
Ali said that these land mafias were also backed by different political groups, who immediately came to their aid whenever the CDA or ICT tried to reclaim the land.
He said that the city managers would finalise negotiations on all development projects with various construction companies after Ramazan.
Moreover, CDA Director Planning Ghulam Sarwar Sandhu said that 15 out of 28 housing schemes operating in the city had been given no objection certificate while others had been occupying land at their own will.
He said that those housing schemes which did not get their NOCs were more active in occupying plots illegally.
When asked about the encroachment of Jeddah Town, Golra Sharif and E-11 sectors, he confirmed that the authority had failed to stop these schemes from taking over the land illegally.
However, Habib Ahmad of Habib Rafiq Builders denied the charges levelled by the city managers and said that he always purchased the land under the rules set by the authority. He said that all of his housing schemes had been issued NOCs by the CDA.
“I am all for severe action against those who have occupied land illegally. CDA should take action against fake schemes which are maligning this business,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2010.
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