RDA to hire housing scheme consultant
Rawalpindi Development Authority. PHOTO: ONLINE
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Board on Saturday said that the appointed of a consultant for the financial and topographic survey of the RDA Housing Scheme, renaming of private housing schemes, was subject to full clearance from the authorities concerned.
The 51s RDA Board meeting also been approved to fix water ground floor rate charges for the second and third story buildings.
The No Objection Certificate (NOC) of Rabia Housing Scheme was cancelled as it was approved in 2009, whereas no development was carried out so far, members of the board concurred during the meeting chaired by RDA Chairman Tariq Murtaza. The meeting was held in the RDA Conference Room.
Regarding the approval of renaming of housing schemes, Murtaza said that it will be allowed on the condition that the housing societies will submit the applications before the approval of the layout plan.
Such housing schemes will also require clearance from the Rawalpindi offices of Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The board meeting discussed acquiring consultancy serviced for the launch of the new RDA Housing Scheme.
The board set a maximum rate of 15% of the recovery for the firm which would recover water dues from defaulters of Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).
The meeting also approved to change the water consumption charges for the second storey customers of Rawalpindi city.
The charges for the ground floor, second to fourth and above will be rationalised, the board agreed.
The meeting took up the issue of the British era water supply scheme the Hailey Water Works. The meeting discussed the option of demolition the ancient water tanks and auctioning the space or handing over the waterworks to Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC). It was decided that the water works issue should be sent to Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering (HUD&PHE) Department in Lahore for a legal opinion.
Security outsourced
The board meeting decided to outsource the security of RDA headquarters.
Guards of private companies will be deployed for internal and external security of RDA offices. The civic authority will procure offers from different service providers.
The officials said that well-trained and disciplined guards should be deployed.
The recommendation was unanimously approved by board members.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 29th, 2020.