Misleading claims: Illegal builders told to stop advertising

RCB demolishes 68 structures from 72 sites

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has issued a legal notice to the owner of an allegedly illegal housing scheme, Faisal Hill, to stop advertising their project or hold balloting for their plots.

RDA Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) Director Jamshed Aftab stated that balloting for the project is illegal.

The sponsor of the housing scheme, he said, had invited applications from the public for registering as members of the project to purchase plots in the scheme.

However, Aftab stated that the scheme has yet to be approved by RDA. Hence, as per law, the status of the scheme is currently “illegal”.

RDA warned all developers that without securing the required no-objection certificate (NOC) from the RDA, housing schemes such as apartments or commercials buildings, cannot be launched in areas controlled by the authority. Moreover, such schemes cannot advertise or market the development of such projects.

The RDA also urged the public not to invest in the housing scheme since its status is not formal yet. The authority also warned the sponsors of the scheme against advertising the project and directed them to contact the RDA for securing a NOC. Failure to do so would draw strict legal action.

RCB operation starts

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) said that it has issued 201 notices over the past three months.

According to RCB spokesperson Qaiser Mahmood, their Land Branch had issued 170 notices to illegally built buildings. Some were also demolished.

Moreover, he added that the property tax branch had recovered millions of rupees over the past three months.

To a question, he said that 161 residential and 18 commercial building plans had been approved in past three months.

Furthermore, several raids on the directives of the Cantonment Executive Officer (CEO) were conducted by the RCB and the owners of the buildings and structures erected illegally were issued notices.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2018.