Illegal housing business thrives

Sources say only 74 lawful projects are in field while 17 await approval from RDA

RAWALPINDI:

The illegal marketing and sale of plots in 405 illegal housing schemes has reached its peak after owners of 17 housing projects, which fall under the controlled area of Rawalpindi Development Authority and the District Council, failed to obtain approval by fulfilling the legal requirements.

These housing schemes are situated within the limits of Murree, Taxila, Rawalpindi, Gujar Khan, and Kotli Sattian.

The RDA has now launched a crackdown against the 405 illegal housing schemes that have sold thousands of plots to the citizens, depriving innocent people of their life savings.

Surprisingly, the number of approved housing projects is only 74 while the number of town planning approved housing schemes from RDA is 37 and the number of under-process housing schemes is 38.

According to sources, the RDA has also launched an operation to stop the promotion of illegal and under-process housing schemes, demolish their site offices and register cases against them.

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The sources said the illegal housing schemes put their allottees in a dire situation as after they buy plots in these projects, they are faced with several issues, including the non-availability of the infrastructure of the residential facilities as per the announced plan, a long delay in completion of development work and land ownership being disputed.

They added that due to the lack of effective law enforcement against this situation, this business based on cheating and fraud continues to thrive.

In this regard, RDA Director General Muhammad Saif Anwar Jappa has formed a task force to crack down on illegal housing schemes. “So far, the site offices and entrance gates of dozens of illegal housing schemes have been demolished while registration of cases is also going on,” the sources said.

“The number of housing schemes with legal standing in the RDA’s controlled area, well-known areas of Tehsil Rawalpindi including, Chakri, Adiala Road, GT Road, Tehsils including in the District Council, Murree, Kotli Sattian, Gujar Khan and Taxila is like a pinch of salt owing to the power and influence of land mafia,” they added.

Those who establish housing projects do not consider it necessary to fulfil the legal requirements.

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At times, more plots are sold in the form of files than the available land. The current situation is that the number of RDA-approved housing schemes is only 74.

As the number of legal and approved housing schemes is much less compared to illegal housing schemes, large-scale action has been initiated against these housing schemes, however, these illegal housing projects have not stopped the sale of plots.

Jappa said a full-scale operation has been launched against the illegal housing schemes. “Apart from demolishing the constructions of such housing schemes, their offices are being raided and heavy fines are being imposed,” he said. “However, the Election Commission of Pakistan has imposed a ban on the housing schemes that are not being approved,” he clarified.

He said all such housing schemes whose documents were complete would be approved. However, the advertising of illegal housing schemes and the sale of plots has been banned.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2023.