CDA issues notice to 1,200 encroachers

[Salman]

ISLAMABAD: In order to purge the federal capital of encroachments, Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz has directed the officials concerned to take stern action against around 1,200 encroachers who had grabbed additional land other than the approved 10x10 kiosks.

The CDA’s Enforcement Directorate has issued notices to around 500 owners of kiosks, while four teams were also formed for the purpose.

The CDA chairman had imposed a ban on new recruitment and allotment of kiosks some days ago, sources said, adding that a high-level committee was tasked to develop a comprehensive policy regarding encroachments.

In addition to that, the ban would remain enforced until the approval of recommendations presented by the committee.

A survey conducted by the CDA regarding encroachments has revealed that illegal construction and encroachments were on the rise at 1,200 approved kiosks of the civic body and commercial markets of the federal capital.

Tahir Shahbaz has issued notices to kiosk owners following the enforcement directorate’s report and warned to cancel the allotment of kiosks if owners occupied more than the actual allotted land.

Meanwhile, owing to slackness of the CDA’s Enforcement Directorate, the Rawal Dam administration has submitted an application with the Secretariat Police Station against a catering company for grabbing three acre of its land.

Earlier, the CDA’s Environment Directorate had allotted 10x10 khokha to a political leader, who erected a restaurant on the site, but later the allotment was cancelled.

The influential political figure, upon cancellation of allotment, allegedly handed over the possession of the land to a catering company for Rs 2 million, which started construction at the site.

In the revenue record, the land belongs to the central government but at the moment control of the same is with the Rawal Dam administration.

The CDA’s Enforcement Directorate in order to stop illegal construction has launched a crackdown, but upon political intervention, the directorate gave up the idea.

Interestingly, the operation started on the directives of the apex court for the acquired land of the CDA in the area was also halted due to political pressure.

Sources said that hundreds of acres of acquired land of the civic body had been illegally grabbed by the land mafia. However, the CDA has prepared a comprehensive plan to eliminate encroachments.