Rawalpindi Cantonment Board withdraws proposal for development charges hike

Board sends case of 18 illegal marriage halls to review committee

Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS

RAWALPINDI:
Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has identified 18 marriage halls which have been running their businesses in the cantonment area without the approval of a building plan.

The board has sent the case to review committee for the regularization of these wedding halls.

It was disclosed in a board meeting of RCB on Tuesday that it had completely failed to carry out any action against these commercial entities, while the matter has been ignored for a long time as RCB only relied on issuing notices, officials said.

These commercial entities have been operating within cantonment limits for the past 10 years without completing legal formalities, yet RCB has taken no action so far except issuing notices, officials said.

They said that RCB has decided to launch an action against some eighteen illegal wedding halls including which have been running their business activities for almost a decade without the approval of a building plan.

The matter has been sent to the review committee which would decide their future.

It is pertinent to note that the board has failed to implement its development plan owing to the severe financial crisis.

The wedding halls include Kohsar Marriage Hall, Subhan Marriage Hall, Allama Iqbal Colony, Rawal Marriage Hall, Askari Marriage Hall and Ashiana Marriage Hall Dhok Sayyedan, Ayub Marriage Hall Dhok Chudhrian, Taj Banquet and Raja Usman Shadi Hall Naseerabad Peshawar Road, Rohatas Shadi Hall Niazi Town Misrial Road, Dewan Khaas and Hanif Wedding Hall Misrial Road, Prince Marriage Hall Kamalabad, Rose Marriage Hall, Millennium Marque Haider Road, Ghazi Marriage Hall People's Colony, Jan Marque and Crown Maque and Zareen Shadi Hall Tench Bhatha Chowk.

Development charges

RCB has retracted from its recommendations to hike development charges in 14 different areas after strong opposition of elected members.


The administration maintained that the increment was essential in order to generate more revenue for affording surplus staff. The administration said that numerous employees would be sacked if the measure was not taken. However, the members opposed both models after which the matter was postponed.

The RCB had proposed to increase land development charges for commercial users from Rs800 per square yards to Rs2,000 square yards while for residential purposes, the charges proposed were Rs1,000 from Rs225.

The RCB also decided to increase charges for people seeking approval for their building plans by increasing the commercial building application fee form Rs12 per foot to Rs20 while Rs5 from Rs2 for the residential category.

Similarly, the board recommended increasing building plan checking fee for a commercial category to Rs6 per square feet from Rs3 and Rs3 per square feet from Re1 for residential purposes.

The residential security deposit for up to five marla land was increased to Rs10,000 a marla from Rs5,000 while for plots acquiring land between five marlas and 10 marlas, the fee was increased to Rs50,000 per marla from Rs25,000.

The RCB had decided to increase the same fee for the land of more than one kanal from Rs40,000 a marla to Rs80,000.

The board prepared similar recommendations for commercial purposes as well.

It was also recommended to increase motorcycle parking fee to R.20 while the commercialisation charges were proposed to be increased from Rs15,000 to Rs25,000 in absence of TPI.

The RCB also proposed to mutation commercial fee to Rs10,000 from Rs1,000. The architect structural engineer fee was proposed to be Rs100,000 from Rs20,000.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2019.
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