Unenthusiastic response to Park Enclave has forced the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to extend the deadline to apply. People will be able to book a plot until August 10, instead of July 30, as previously advertised.
Official sources in the CDA told The Express Tribune that the dismal response was contrary to the expectations of the city managers; CDA offered 700 plots in the first phase but received very few applications.
They termed Bahria Enclave, a competing housing scheme that undercuts Park Enclave by offering plots at half the price, as one of the main reason for the scheme’s failure. CDA has priced a one kanal plot in the housing scheme at Rs12 million. In contrast, Bahria Enclave offers plots of multiple sizes, the smallest of which, 5 marlas, cost as low as Rs1.6 million.
CDA Planning Directorate Director-General Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu confirmed that when Bahria submitted its file for approval of the Land Use Plan (LUP) it was missing the land record. However the record was arranged within a few hours with the collaboration of CDA officials. “When the administration of the private housing scheme produced the land record, I approved the plan as per procedure.”
CDA Spokesperson Ramzan Sajid said, “If CDA succeeds in getting 250 or 300 applications it will ensure execution of the project as soon as possible.” He said CDA planned to complete the project in a “record” period of one year.
To attract investors the CDA Board has reconsidered Park Enclave’s payment schedule. The booking of the plot can be done with Rs1.2 million, while the remaining amount is to be paid in 16 monthly instalments. CDA has also announced a discount of 5 per cent in case of full payment at the time of booking.
“We hope to restore people’s confidence in this way,” Sajid said, admitting that CDA’s reputation had suffered due to the delay of a few projects in the past.
Sajid termed Bahria Town’s housing scheme illegal, saying that the administration of the housing scheme have not obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from CDA so far. “CDA did not even approve the LUP of the Bahria administration for five marlas in the area,” he said.
“The civic body had advertised its housing scheme in newspapers as per the zoning regulations but in Bahria’s case no such procedure was followed as it had not obtained an NOC from CDA,” Sajid said.
However, he declined to comment on why Bahria Town administration had not been issued a public notice about the illegal housing scheme.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 1st, 2011.
COMMENTS (3)
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Bahria normally swindled the original owners of their lands now they swindle the purchasers of their land and on top of it, publicly!... Everyone was lead to believe that their scheme was just 3km far from the nearest avenue and 6km from either of the twin cities which would have made it the most lucratively sought after scheme and it did... But know what it is actually 9km from the avenue with no road to boot! What a farce!
cda does manage the city very well it looks like a european city but corruption is creeping here as well
doesn't require much of an imagination as to possible reasons for non issusance of a ntice to Bahria.......paisa logon ka hai CDA kyon tension lay.....in other words it is a sort of revenge by CDA from people who are investing in illegal scheme of Bahria instead of Park Enclave.......