Park Enclave Islamabad No Development

[Salman]

Park Enclave Islamabad No Development

ISLAMABAD - Despite the lapse of sixteen months, the development work of mega housing project, Park Enclave, could not be started, putting a serious question mark on the credibility of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
While announcing the project on March 2011, the high ups of CDA termed the project as ‘Jewel of Islamabad’ and claimed that development work of the project would be completed by June 2012.
However, no work is visible on the site and due to mismanagement; the development work is being delayed for one reason or the other.
Park Enclave, a housing project along with Park Road consisting of 700 housing units- was announced by the CDA on March, 2011 and later on it was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani on July 5, 2011.
While announcing the project, the high-ups of civic body claimed that development work of the mega project would be completed by June 2012. On this, people invested their hard earned money and purchased the plots. The civic body sold out 650 plots. Instead of utilizing the collected amount on the project, CDA, utilized the funds to run its day-to- day affairs. Resultantly, the allottees showing mistrust on CDA has started refusing to pay further installments and demanding reimbursement of their money that they have paid so far.
Ironically, in finical year 2012-13 budget, CDA didn’t allocate any fund for the development of the said project. After this development it seems that now this project is no more on CDA’s priority.
Talking to Pakistan Today a senior officer of CDA said, “What you are talking about the delay in development.. even despite the passage of 16 months, the civic body has not even succeeded to award the contract of design and development of the project,” the officer said.
He said that on November 4, 2011, CDA pre-qualified four construction firms to award tender of the project. Subsequently, the pre-qualified firms submitted their technical bids with CDA on January 5,2012. Later on, CDA referred their technical bids to Nespak, which was hired by CDA as consultant firm for the project for evaluation of bids documents. The Cabinent Division objected on CDA move for hiring consultant firm for awarding tender. Now, CDA has decided to hold open tender for the said project. Sources said that local people have started encroaching Park Enclave land as they have not given compensation money under against their inherited land. They said that local of village Mojhan has reoccupied a large piece of land.
It is relevant to note here that on the one hand CDA has failed to failed to start Park Enclave project but it is going to develop to new sector C-14 and C-15.
When CDA Spokesman Ramzan Sajid was contacted, he refused to comment and asked this correspondent to contact the chairman. However, despite repeated attempts, the Chairman CDA could not be approached.