1,300 katchi abadi dwellers to get ownership rights

CDA says rehabilitation of F-6/2 slum being held up due to court case

ISLAMABAD: Around 1,300 households of G-7 and F-7 katchi abadis are in the process of getting ownership rights, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has said.

In a report submitted to the Supreme Court, the civic agency said katchi abadis located in Sector G-7/1, G-7/2, G-7/3 and Sector F-7/4 are being upgraded with award of proprietary rights to 1,299 bonafide dwellers of these habitations.

So far, 782 residents have obtained application forms for awarding of proprietary rights and 509 have submitted their applications along with down payment to the CDA.

“After scrutiny of application forms and completion of formalities, proprietary rights will be awarded. Physical infrastructure will be provided i.e. door to door water supply connection, protection measures along the nullah sides, sanitary and sewerage system as per site position, and pavement of existing street network,” the CDA report says. Electricity and gas connections are also being provided to the residents. However, in the case of F-7/4 slum which is also known as France Colony, the process of provision of utility connections has been halted. This due to the fact that as per CDA terms the connections were to be provided to only single storey housing units and many residents do not meet this condition as they have erected double storey buildings in this katchi abadi.

The authority has informed the Supreme Court that it had started rehabilitation of another major katchi abadi in F-6/2, also known as 100 quarters, back in 2002 but the process is currently halted due to a case in the Islamabad High Court.

Another major katchi abadi in Sector G-8/1, also known as Hansa Colony and J Salik Colony, is being upgraded with allotment of planned plots to dwellers. The CDA says it has allotted plots to 540 households out of a total 575 eligible families.

“Up-gradation of abadi is under process and the remaining dwellers will be allocated plots accordingly. All the basic facilities will be provided i.e. door to door water supply connection, protection measures along the nullah sides, sanitary and sewerage system as per site position, and pavement of existing street network,” the report says.

Apart from these six katchi abadis, other CDA-recognised katchi abadis in the capital include Muslim Colony (Nurpur Shahan) in Bari Imam; Katchi Abadi Essa Nagri in I-9/1; Dhoke Najju in 1-10/4 and Haq Bahu Colony in I-11/4. In total, there were 10 recognised katchi abadis in the capital with a total 3,805 housing units.

While the dwellers of slums in G-7, F-7 and F-6 are in the process of getting ownership rights, other slums are to be shifted to Farash Town, a CDA shelter project on Lehtrar Road where the authority says it has spent Rs20.82 million thus far.

So far, only Dhoke Najju from I-10/4 and Haq Bahu Colony from I-11/4 have been completely shifted to Farash Town. CDA says 1,233 plots have been given to dwellers of these two former katchi abadis in Farash Town. However, the authority had no progress to show for Essa Nagri katchi abadi in I-9 and Muslim Colony in Bari Imam. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2018.