ISLAMABAD: The mega projects launched by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) last year are gathering dust in official files as most of them could not be started or remain incomplete.
The year started with traditional planning for developing new sectors and other people-friendly schemes, but it concluded with no visible progress.
The only mega project, the Zero Point Interchange, could not be completed despite three extensions in its deadline owing to procedural lapses, technical and engineering faults.
For the fiscal year 2010-11, CDA had announced Rs22.71 billion budget. At present, CDA owes Rs35 billion liability in the area of land acquisition. A sizable cut in Public Sector Development Programmes and maintenance grants in the aftermath of floods in the country affected some 20 projects.
A new scheme, the rainwater harvesting project, to improve the underground water reserves was launched in 2010 with allocation of Rs10 million. But the authority could not make any significant headway in this direction, except for the Ghazi Barotha water supply and Chirah Dam projects. Rehabilitation and up-gradation of decades’ old water supply pipelines that causes a loss of approximately 55 per cent of water to the federal capital also remained unattended as the authority needs Rs4 billion for the purpose.
The year also saw scams surfacing one after another. The odd situation led the authority to present the record of all such deals before concerned accountability agencies.
Gross irregularities in the allotment of plots in Kurri Model Village and agro farms that have broken all past records of corruption are yet to be accounted for. Despite assurances, the CDA is yet to initiate departmental inquiry against the responsible elements. After media criticism, Imtiaz Inayat Elahi had declared the allotment process invalid, but the main accused persons are still at large.
The accused elements had themselves conducted a sort of a preliminary inquiry into the scam and fixed the responsibility on a director. But when FIA wanted to probe the findings of the committee that comprised Member Land, Member Planning and Design and Member Environment, CDA refused to handover the relevant record under the pretext that the allotments had been cancelled and declared invalid.
Kurri was also the area of investment for the multi-billion municipal bonds scheme but after surfacing of the massive corruption in the allotment process, the confidence of the investors was shattered.
Similarly, Mass-Transit Service scheme was stalled for one reason or the other. To save face, the city mangers approved a rapid bus service for Islamabad.
CDA is also finding it difficult to come to terms with the Rawalpindi administration in the matter of Rawal Dam pollution while the threat to people’s health in the twin cities continues.
The civic body has not been able to take action against fraudulent housing societies which have sold non-existent plots to citizens and lawmakers.
The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet under Senator Shahid Bugti directed the authority to take action against the culprits and ensure transparency in the housing societies’ affairs. Another housing scam is in the National Assembly Housing Society, where as many as 3000 persons lost their hard-earned money by purchasing empty files. A special committee of National Assembly on House and Library led by Sheikh Waqas Akram probed the scam but its report could not be made public.
Meanwhile, some controversial amendments have been introduced in respect of Zone-3, the National Park area of the capital city, opening the way for construction activity which is feared to destroy the green image of Islamabad.
CDA also allotted more than 15 valuable plots at Park Road to influential parties without holding open bidding at throw away prices under the title of Nurseries Lease Extension.
To overcome the financial crisis, the city managers have been selling the city’s prime land. Thrice such auctions have been held but failed to raise the desired money. The joint-venture theory to develop new sectors also could not be exercised.
Like the past, there is no plan to address the shortage of houses, as the development work on sectors D-12, G-12, I-14 and I-16 was further prolonged for various reasons. According to official data, the shortage of housing units at the end of 2010 has touched the all-time high figure of 64,000 in the capital with the existing number of residential units at 76,000. The current demand has risen to 140,000.
The CDA chairman who has promoted a number of his officers to higher grades has himself been promised the 22 grade by the prime minister. Among the promoted lot are men involved in the Margalla Towers collapse and the Kurri model village scam.
Interestingly, Chairman CDA forwarded a summary to the PM seeking extension of tenure for Member Finance who is also one of accused persons in NICL scam. Against the post of another important slot, Member Environment, the services of an unrelated official from the Punjab government has been hired. Member Estate is among the accused of Kurri Model village scam, being head of land directorate of CDA. He is also part of Allotment Scrutiny Committee but amazingly the Chairman has requested him to probe the land scam.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2011.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ