No new sector on CDA priority list

[Salman]

Islamabad - Despite delay of almost 23 years, the Capital Development Authority still has no intention to open any new sector and currently the CDA’s only focus is to get possession of its occupied land through settlement of longstanding liabilities.

A senior official of the CDA told The Nation that to cater the growing housing needs in the federal capital, the authority has decided to expedite development of stalled sectors and in this context after completion of development work in sector D-12, I-14 and sector I-16, possession is being handed over to the allottees.
However, an official statement issued by the authority expresses the desire of launching new sectors.

“The major challenge faced by the current city bosses was the settlement of huge liabilities on account of land acquisition; however, after assigning the priority and evolving effective mechanism to this effect the issue is being resolved at fast pace,” mentioned the statement, quoting Amir Ali Ahmad, Member Estate CDA, adding that unlike other municipalities, the CDA is not funded by the government and it generates its own funds to meet the annual development and non-development expenditure of the budget which is around Rs 40 billion per annum.

Completion of stalled projects, settlement of longstanding liabilities on account of land acquisition, elimination of nonconforming use and enhancing the beauty and preserving the green character of the city are among the prime priorities of the sitting administration.

“The CDA is making all-out efforts and utilising all possible resources to make Islamabad a modern metropolis,” says the press release.
Ahmed said this while addressing to the group of probationary officers of Common Training Programme that visited the CDA headquarters here on Friday.
Ahmad said that sector I-15 which was opened to accommodate the low-income people in the federal capital was unfortunately remained ignored; however on directions of Chairman CDA Maroof Afzal, special attention was given to the development of this sector and now an MoU for its development has been signed and development work on sector I-15 would commence soon.

He said that CDA was confronting the issue of encroachments on its acquired land and a project has been started to install barbed wire around CDA’s acquired land and sufficient funds have been allocated for this project during the budget of current fiscal year 2014-15 to resolve the issue once for all.

While briefing the participants about the scope of authority’s responsibilities, the member administration and estate said that CDA was having multiple responsibilities as compared to other municipalities of the country as the CDA was solely chartered with the work of six organisations i.
e.
development agency, water and sanitation agency and municipal corporation.

Ahmad claimed that despite financial constraints, not only new mega projects were envisaged during the regime of current management but special focus was given to the completion of stalled projects.
For this purpose development work on the main artery i.
e.
Kashmir Highway has been completed in record time of eleven (11) months which had been delayed for years.
He further informed that development work on long-awaited Park Enclave Housing Scheme was also initiated which was in full swing.

He said that to maintain and enhance its green character and provide healthy recreational opportunities to the residents, the CDA has decided not only to upgrade exiting parks and other facilities but also one hundred and seventy five (175) new children parks and eleven (11) other parks are being developed in the city.