Imperfections of a model village

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has long since completed its project of making Saidpur a model village. But there is still much resentment surrounding it, with locals complaining of lack of promised opportunities and exploitation by businessmen and politicians.

The latest complaint comes in the shape of new eateries springing up in the village. Restaurants are an important attraction in Saidpur, with CDA-administered Des Pardes being a popular hangout because of its tranquil view of the surrounding hills and mud houses.

Even more restaurants are expected to open soon. State Minister for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar and MNA Rukhsana Bangash have recently been given permission by the CDA for this purpose.

But these attractions are accompanied by accusations that only influential persons are being granted permission for such business opportunities in Saidpur, leaving the villagers without land, business or employment.

Ashiq Khan Khattack, who owns a restaurant besides the village, said, “My restaurant had to be closed down because CDA did not allot land for parking space.”

Saidpur Model Village project was initiated by CDA in 2007 with an aim to preserve the village’s original heritage, which includes relics from Gandhara, Greek, Buddhist, Mughal, Ashoka and colonial periods. The project also aimed to make the village a tourist attraction by setting up restaurants, picnic spots, art galleries and cafes. Village locals were promised employment, utilities and improved infrastructure.

But time and again, the locals maintain that CDA disregarded its promises by not only depriving them of opportunities, but also failing to pay compensation for damages.

In 2007, CDA bulldozed 55 houses, promising to rebuild them under the model village project, according to Shahjahan Kiani, numberdar of the village. “CDA rebuilt only one house belonging to Faisal Sakhi Butt,” he said, attributing this to Butt’s influential contacts.

Various roads have not been built, the village still does not have gas supply or a water filtration plant. The villagers are not allowed to open shops. They cannot cultivate crops as majority of the arable land has been occupied by businessmen, politicians and the local rangers’ office.

“There are no playgrounds or parks, no public offices, banks, police stations or even medical facilities,” said advocate Raja Safdar Kiani.

Federal Model Secondary Schools for Boys and Girls is the only educational institution in the village for thousand of students, said Qasim Kiani, who once worked as a headmaster at the school. A local NGO, Behbud Centre, is also the only medical facility in the area.

Another village local, Mahmood Kiani, said that a professional contractor, Hayyat Khan, had acquired 70 acres of land in the village’s green belt, claiming he was acting on orders of the prime minister.

He alleged that CDA officials also wasted Rs2million on their trip to France in 2007 for seeking designs for the model village.

Responding to the allegations, spokesperson CDA Ramzan Sajid said a CDA member did visit France to prepare designs for the village but did not spend the huge amount quoted by Kiani. He added, “This land is the property of the civic body since 1960. The locals should be thankful that it has been turned into a model village.”

However, CDA focal person for Saidpur Village project, Syed Tanveer Mehdi, felt that the goal to make Saidpur a model village had not been achieved due to mismanaged planning.

According to sources, it was estimated by the previous CDA management that the project would cost around Rs400 million, but till its completion, only Rs30 million have been spent by the authority.

A CDA official, Mansoor Khan, who deals with administrative matters of Saidpur village, said that more funds needed to be allocated to attain the desired aesthetic appeal and provide basic facilities to locals.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2010.