ISLAMABAD: Land disputes impede sector G-14 development

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

Associated Press of Pakistan
The longstanding dispute over land's possession in sector G-15 is impeding the development of much-stalled residential sector of G-14 as the land owners have rejected the government's award for their built-up property.

According to a senior official, the land owners in sector G-15 are not willing to vacate their land until an award of their consent is awarded as the affectees of the sector G-14 would get plots in the sector G-15 as compensation.

The land acquisition controller of the federal capital had announced the award of Rs 368.524 million for the built-up property in Sector G-15/3 consisting of 235 Kacha and Pakka houses.

But the land owners have rejected the award on the context as it is significantly lesser than the price and that was promised by the Housing Ministry.

According to the official source, the adverse possession of land is the only bottleneck in the development of sector G-14, and once the land is vacated, the development of the sector would be launched.

The residents are of the view that the government has deliberately declared the built-up properties as Kacha to deny the compensation to the owners and the award offered to them was much lesser than incurred on their construction.

The housing ministry had categorized the properties into +A, A, B and C. Category C is meant for Kacha house, B for concrete house and A for those with marble works and A+ was meant for the well-built and well furnished houses. But according to the residents, the ministry has put majority of the houses in Kacha category and have fixed their compensation unreasonably.

"If the government does not review the compensation formula, we would move the court to seek justice," said Muhammad Amir, a resident of sector G-15/3.

However, according to the spokesman, the award has been announced in light of the land estimates and the rates of the built up properties defined by the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation.

He was of the view that the award was announced on basis of a survey conducted by the Pak-PWD and the Foundation.

Residents demand removal of billboard: The residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have expressed their immense concern over giant billboards, installed by different traders along side main roads.

The people underlined that these unsafe hanging billboards along main roads and in crowded localities of the city pose a threat to people's lives.

The residents said that 15 to 20 hoardings fall due to heavy rain or in case of a thunderstorm and several billboards are installed close to schools posing a serious threat to children.