Pindi begins housing scheme reforms

Introduces QR-coded plot allotments to stop illegal over-selling of plots

RAWALPINDI:

To establish the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) as a performance-driven institution, the Director-General has assigned specific responsibilities to all of its departments. A comprehensive agenda has been issued to ensure that the thirteen RDA-approved housing schemes meet the required standards of cleanliness, street lighting, cemetery boundary demarcation, access routes, water supply and overall service provision.

The agenda also aims to raise the performance of departments such as Planning and Estate Management to the desired level.

During a meeting chaired by RDA DG Kinza Murtaza, the DG instructed the Director of Estate Management, Abgheen Khan, to ensure exemplary cleanliness across all thirteen RDA housing schemes under the Suthra Punjab initiative and to resolve any other issues faced by residents.

She added that she would personally visit every approved private housing scheme to verify the measurements of land allocated for cemeteries, ensuring that the required area is available and that proper access routes, lighting and water facilities are in place.

Murtaza further emphasised that parks, commercial areas, dispensaries, roads, playgrounds and all other designated public-use spaces must physically exist on site in every private housing scheme. The DG also expressed her resolve to pursue to their logical conclusion those responsible for irregularities in the University Town Housing Scheme.

She stressed that the RDA must not be regarded as a weak institution, noting that the successful Metro Bus Project in the twin cities and the near-completion of the Rawalpindi Ring Road — a project she described as a "game changer" — stand to the Authority's credit. While acknowledging that internal challenges have existed within the organisation, she underscored the need to overcome them and to establish the RDA as a highly effective development authority. She welcomed media criticism, describing it as a source of valuable guidance.

She further announced that, henceforth, plot allotments in all RDA-approved housing schemes will be issued through QR codes. Only as many QR codes will be generated as there are available plots, and each allotment letter will carry a unique QR code, ensuring that no scheme can sell more plots than are legally permissible.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) Board on Friday had directed that allotment letters for all housing schemes be printed exclusively through the Printing Press of Pakistan and strictly in accordance with approved layout plans.

The directive was issued during the 17th meeting of the CDA Board, chaired by CDA Chairman and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa at the CDA Headquarters. Randhawa said the move was aimed to eliminate the long-standing practice of issuing extra or duplicate files beyond the number of plots approved in layout plans. He instructed that barcodes, watermarks and other security features be made mandatory on all allotment letters to ensure authenticity and prevent tampering.

"The purpose of this decision is to bring transparency, stop the circulation of fake or excess files, and protect citizens from fraudulent practices," the chairman said. The Board also decided to constitute a technical committee to review the issuance of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the Federal Employees Cooperative Housing Society's Jinnah Garden (Phase Two). The Planning Wing briefed the Board on matters related to temporary stalls and kiosks in compliance with Islamabad High Court directions. The Wing was instructed to prepare a clear policy. Proposed amendments to the Islamabad Land Disposal Regulations 2005 were also reviewed.

A committee comprising all Director Generals will be formed to identify procedural delays and streamline processes. The Board approved the forwarding of the Islamabad Parks and Horticulture Agency Regulations to the Federal Cabinet. It was also agreed upon that prices of plants at the Gardenia Hub will be revised for the first time since 2005, along with special discounts for institutions and CSR-based purchases.