Park Enclave uplift suffers setback

[Salman]

Park Enclave uplift suffers setback

ISLAMABAD – The development of Park Enclave has suffered another setback after the affectees of Mouza Majoohan, a village falls in Phase-I of the Park Enclave, hampered the contractor to initiate construction work of boundary wall of the housing society, on the ground of non-payment of compensation against their built-up properties.

On Friday, CDA was supposed to kick off the construction work of the Package-I of the project that includes the construction of boundary wall of Park Enclave.

Rs48 million contract of boundary wall has recently been awarded to firm M/s Arif and Co, who has quoted the lowest bid 19 percent below the Military Engineering Services (MES) schedule and 10 per cent below the NHA CSR 2009.

There are 13 BUP (built-up property) structures in Mouza Majoohan falling in Phase-I of the Park Enclave. CDA Board during its meeting held on December 12, 2011 has approved a total compensation of Rs 2,356,189 against 13 structures.

Though it was decided that compensation amount would be paid at earliest to remove hindrances in the smooth execution of the project, till to date the affectees are waiting for it.

On Friday when contractor along with machinery rushed to the site, a group of affectees interrupted them and asked that they (affectees) would not allow any construction activity in the area until the payment of compensation to them.

The episode shows the seriousness of the city managers in terms of execution of this much-delayed project. The frivolous approach of the city managers towards resolving the longstanding issues pertaining to the development of Park Enclave is evident from this latest episode which is furthering the reservations of investors, who are now refusing to pay instalments of plots until visible development on the site.

Meanwhile, a recent decision of the CDA Board that provides diversion of funds collected by the Authority on the account of cost of land from allottees to run Authority’s day-to-day affairs has put a question mark against CDA’s fast sinking credibility.

On the other hand the investors are demanding reimbursement of their money that they have paid so far. By the end of January 2012, CDA had received Rs 1734.38 million from 650 applicants on account of price of plots in Park Enclave Scheme. But in fact the Authority has already drawn 80 percent of the collected amount from Park Enclave accounts.

A spokesperson of the Authority said in the backdrop of affectees protest, the Chairman CDA has directed the Finance Wing of the Authority to expedite the process of payment of compensation to affectees. He said contractor would initiate work on the site on Monday as compensation amount is expected to be released on the same day.