Gilani unhappy with city managers

PM visits CDA's office unannounced, orders expedition of projects, eradication of land mafia and more housing.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Wednesday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to expedite work on development projects and facilitate citizens.

In a surprise visit to the civic authority’s offices, the Prime Minister took serious notice of the long delays in completion of development projects and asked CDA Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi to come up with a comprehensive roadmap in four weeks to make itself a peoples’ friendly department.

The Prime Minister asked the CDA chairman to make a comprehensive plan against land mafia and encroachers and early completion of under-developed sectors.

The CDA chairman briefed the PM regarding the ongoing projects and cited financial constraints for the delay in completing them.

The Prime Minister also took serious notice of shortage of potable water which is getting serious and asked the authority to replace old waterlines to avoid contamination and installation of more filtration plants to ensure clean drinking water to the citizens. The PM also expressed concern over lack of proper public transport system in the city.

“These issues should be addressed at the earliest,” he directed the chairman.

Expressing concern over the activities of land mafia who have grabbed large amount of land, especially in E-12, Gilani asked the CDA to take action against them and vacate precious land.

About the shortage of housing units the prime minister said, due to the rapid population growth, there was a need to set up more residential sectors.

Another important issue raised in the meeting was the plight of the residents of katchi abadis (slum areas). The Prime Minister asked the CDA to ensure respectable living for the people of katchi abadis and provision of basis necessities including proper sewerage system to them.

In case of relocation, CDA was directed to provide alternative site for the residents of these slums.

About the CDA’s limited capacity to deal with natural disaster which was exposed in the Airblue plane crash recently, the Prime Minister exhorted the authority to make itself fully prepared to cope with untoward incidents. In similar events in the past, such as flash floods, Shaheed-i-Millat fire and earthquake of 2005, the civic agency’s performance was dismal. “CDA must equip itself accordingly, and remain prepared to deal with such incidents,” said PM Gilani.

Federal cabinet’s recent decision on revised zoning sectors was also discussed. The PM directed CDA to implement the decision. Gilani also directed the authority to ensure cleanliness in the city, improve parking areas and sustain the green cover of the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2010.