RCB to define new municipal boundaries

Move will allow property, water tax collection in previously disputed areas

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has decided to approach the Survey of Pakistan before demarcating its municipal boundaries after the longstanding dispute between the Board and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) over the territorial limits happening since 1980 ended with the decision of the federal cabinet.

After the cabinet has determined the municipal boundaries between the RCB and the CDA, the disputed boundaries included in the Board will receive the billing of property tax and water supply charges.

The approval of the building plans and regularisation of the unplanned building will be approved by the RCB and thus its annual income will increase by millions of rupees.

The RCB came into existence in 1849 and the boundaries of the cantonment were determined in 1957. However, the CDA came into existence in the federal capital in 1960 and the territorial limits of the Islamabad district were determined in 1963.

The municipal boundary dispute between the two authorities was heard in various judicial fora and finally, the Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the federal cabinet to settle the dispute.

Earlier, the CDA and the RCB were not getting collection of property tax and building plan fee in the disputed areas due to dispute between the two bodies. In some areas, roads, streets, sewerage, water supply and street lights were managed by the RCB and in some areas by the CDA, but both the institutions were not getting revenue.

Now the buildings and areas on GT Road including Chishtiabad, British Homes, Quaid-e-Azam Hospital, Golra Mor, Chungi No 26, EME College, Daewoo Ada and Jhangi Saidan areas will be under the Board. The western area of the railway line from Sector H-13 to Sector I-12 and part of I-14 is Rawalpindi and the rest will fall in Islamabad. The areas of H-13, G-13 and G-14 will be included in the municipal limits of the CDA.

Although the boundaries of Rawalpindi Cantt and Islamabad have not been changed, the municipal boundaries between the RCB and the CDA have been demarcated.

A spokesperson for the RCB, Assistant Secretary Rashid Saqib says the Board is now awaiting a copy of the federal cabinet's decision to determine its new municipal boundaries along with a request from the Survey of Pakistan to determine the municipal boundaries on the spot.

After the determination of the new municipal boundary, the new billing of property tax assessment will be issued for the areas coming under the RCB's municipal limits, which will increase the revenue of the cantonment by millions of rupees annually.