Park Enclave, the project that was being termed as the Capital Development Authority’s lifeline for the next fiscal year, has suffered a blow just when it was about to take off.
The “posh” housing scheme in the Zone-4 of the federal capital suffered a setback after Bahria Town announced a housing scheme “Bahria Enclave” parallel to the site for the CDA’s project.
CDA’s scheme boasts of plots of 500 square yard with each plot costing Rs15 million. Bahria Enclave offers same sized plots on half the prices.
Thursday saw the first advertisements of the Bahria Town project appear in the print media; and the housing society did manage to create some interest.
A source close to the developments hinted at the involvement of authority’s Planning Directorate officials in what they called a “timely conspiracy” hatched against CDA. He further maintained that the project location showed by the Bahria Town administration in advertisements was at a site owned by CDA.
“The site of enclave advertised by the Bahria Town belongs to CDA. Bahria Town does not own enough land in Zone-IV where they can announce such a scheme, however they do have some land near Simly Dam,” the CDA official added.
“Bahria Town has not submitted any layout plan of their proposed housing colony with the authority and they did not obtain any prior permission to publish ads in newspapers,” the official said.
CDA has not issued any warning letters to the Bahria Town administration, the official said; however, he added that they were planning to serve a public notice to the private enterprise through newspapers soon.
This latest controversy makes the task of city managers all the more difficult. A top CDA official blamed the controversy on CDA’s “confused policy” on construction in the prohibited area of the National Park.
Recently, the names of top CDA officials also surfaced before the Supreme Court in the multi-billion land purchase scam of housing ministry in Zone-IV. The civic body received hundreds of applications and was predicting that the housing project will be a great success. Interestingly, July 30 was set as the last date for filing the applications by CDA and Bahria Enclave set the date 10 days earlier, with July 20 as the deadline.
In its budget for fiscal year of 2011-12, CDA had set aside Rs4 billion as minimum revenue generation from Park Enclave. The city managers were expecting to generate Rs10 billion from the first phase by selling 700 plots, and another 600 in phase-II. Equipped with modern facilities, the scheme is located on Park Road at its intersection with Kurri Road.
Construction in Zone-IV, prohibited before, was allowed after the cabinet’s approved it in 2010 . “Ironically CDA itself becomes the first prey to controversial amendments it had made in capital’s zoning regulations with special regard to Zone-IV,” said an official.
Ramzan Sajid said that CDA did not issue NOC to anyone for housing scheme in Zone-IV, so CDA warned Bahria Town administration to not mislead the people.
If they do not stop then strict disciplinary action would be taken against Bahria Town administration, he said. Responding to a question, he said that he was not aware if Bahria Town had already done construction in the area or purchased land there.
A CDA official said that “it is very much clear” that to make Park Enclave successful, CDA will not give permission to anyone to set up a scheme parallel to it.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2011.
COMMENTS (13)
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behria town has its own name,goodwill,whu would they destroy their name for just one project?
@Moody: Fully agree as I have physically verified the scam.
I visited Bahria Town Head office and on condition of anonymity the officials agreed that they had misguided the general public and used devious means to hoodwink the innocent people. They pointed that the scheme has been launched with some support from the people who matter. Some of the employees are also involved in this major scam. Only the Chief Justice can act to stop the people from being robbed once again.
Another of Malik Riaz fraud which needs immediate action by the concerned authorities. The piece of land being advertised is no where close ton CDA Site on Park Road rther it is located closer to outskirts of Bara Khau and it is understood that there is no plans to develop this area by BT in future. People are going to regret their decision if they are lured by false promises of BT.
The land where Bahria Enclave is being "developed" is the same 1219 kanals of land that was sold to the government for a Jail and this was reversed due to Suo Moto action by Chief Justice Iftikhar. It is disputed ownership and there are several cases against that land.
According to various correspondents and news media, this scheme is a total fraud and cannot be completed on the said land but I am aware that Bahria are trying to buy up more land in the area, perhaps so they can come up with the 400 kanals minimum to get proper approval from the CDA. If anyone can do it, Bahria can but there is some huge controversy right now.
It's a shame that the authorities refuse to give the proper information for fear of retaliation from Bahria and allow the citizens to make fools of themselves again and again.
Chairman CDA should be ashamed of himself...and probably is !
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20117\13\story13-7-2011pg11_2
Daily Times Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Citizen to move SC for suo moto notice of ‘illegal project’
ISLAMABAD: Tahir Ahmed said he had sent an email to CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi to take notice of the Bahria Enclave’s illegal project and ban it to save the Pakistanis from fraud. Ahmed said he had been drafting another application for filing with the Supreme Court. He hoped that Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry would take a suo moto notice to avoid another “New City Scam”. staff report
Mr. Agha Javed Fazil i completely agree with your comments.
Bahria enclave site is almost 5.5 km away from CDA, Park enclave site. Malik Riaz is more resourceful and politically stronger than CDA team and will get it done by hook or by crook. Bahria is charging 3 million for 10 marla plot and 6 million for kanal plot. The hight rate is actually a bargain of CDA scheme otherwise the location offered by Bahria is worth not more than 1.2 million for 10 marla and 2.2 million for kanal plot.
The TV channels are making money from advertisement given by Bahria Enclave. They are not showing the real picture of situation
I don't know anything about the said fraud or any sort of bribes, what i know is that Malik Riyaz has become a towering personality of Pakistan. He, in my opinion, is stronger than those who are at the helm of affairs in the government. By hook or by crook, he will get it done as he has done before.
I tried this morning to get information from CDA regarding NOC but all concerned authorities are not ready to comment.
I went to site and it is 6 kilometer away from the location shown in the advertisement. It is very cleary a fraud. Yes a big scam of 2.5 billion rupees. Is there any authorities in Pakistan to take a note of it
why CDA is not issuing warning notices to the public for such misleading and false projects, this also places a big question mark on there credibility..
Bahria enclave is total fraud and cheating with the people of pakistan. the location map shown advertised in newspapers shows this housing project on the main Park road right next to and before CDA's Park enclave which is totally wrong. in reality it is far far away from park road and the only approach is from a link road from kurri road far into the land of nowhere. it is even far away from kurri road. when we reached their by asking many people on our way, there were a few other visiters as well and they were all very very angry. some of them were even talking about suing malik riaz for lieying to them and robbing them off their hard earned money. plus there were other things that the locals of that area told us that this piece of land was dissputed. the real owner died and malik riaz got the land transferred by fraud. the transfer is fake and done by giving bribes to the patwari and tahsildar. huge bribes were given. there are three stay orders in court on this piece of land. and the patwari and tahsildar got it transferred illegally. i must say people should be carefull and should not fall for such projects.