RDA threatens action against private schools

Orders owners to move out of residential areas

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has threatened to shut down private schools and colleges that are established in residential areas if the institutions’ buildings are not regularised within 15 days.

The three-year period given by the Supreme Court for the transfer of 8,500 private schools and colleges from residential areas of 44 Cantonment Boards across the country, including 229 private schools and colleges of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board had already ended.

The order was issued by the Supreme Court at the request of private school and college students’ parents.

According to cantonment authorities, the tranquillity of residential areas is being destroyed by the presence of private educational institutions. Problems of cleanliness, traffic, pollution and security have intensified due to the activity of private educational institutions in residential areas.

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For this reason, the Supreme Court had given a three-year deadline, starting from 2019 to December 2021, during which private schools and colleges were expected to move out of the residential areas of the cantonment board areas across the country.

In a new development, the RDA has decided to issue the educational institutions an extension till the next academic year, which will start in March.

In response to RDA's legal action against illegal educational institutions, the Land Use and Building Control Wing RDA has decided to give an extension to these school owners until the current academic year so that the educational activities of the children can continue without any hindrance.

The RDA has said, “In light of this decision, all school owners who have established schools in residential buildings without approval have been directed by RDA DG to immediately regularise the school as per the law or otherwise stop illegal use of these buildings.” The schools are expected to submit an affidavit, which states that they will legalise the use of the buildings or stop their illegal use, within 15 days to the RDA. Additionally, the owners of the building will have to pay a fine of Rs1,000 for each day after the 15-day deadline.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2024.