Islamabad: CDA to engage private firm for Sector F-12 land acquisition

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Official says at least Rs 40 billion required for compensation to locals for land, built-up property
* Over 6,000 plots to be developed in this sector

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to engage some private sector company for the acquisition of land in Sector F-12 that has now become an uphill task for the civic body.

According to senior CDA official, the authority is going to engage some private sector company to get the land of the sector acquired from the landowners, who had earlier declined to accept the award announced by the CDA.

“The authority acquired the land in 1985, but the landowners did not accept the price of land and most of them did not accept the payment,” said the official. He said earlier, the authority had not announced the award for built-up property, which was still owned by the locals. Later, in connivance of the locals, the outsiders also started construction in the area but the authority failed to stop it due to lack of workforce in its enforcement directorate.

Compensation: When asked about the cost of the land acquisition, he said, it required at least Rs 40 billion to compensate the people for their land and built-up property, which would put huge burden on the authority already facing financial crunch.

Terms and conditions: He said it was also possible that the authority handed over the sector for land acquisition and development to the private company. He said in this regard the terms and conditions were yet to be finalised with the company.

He said the CDA had planned practical means for early acquisition of land. He, however, said any timeframe in this would be immature.

FGEHF: He said the high-ups had already accorded approval for the allocation of Sector F-12 to Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) for allotment of plots to federal government employees.

He said the Ministry of Housing and Works and the CDA would jointly work to open the sector for government employees to meet the shortage of housing units in the federal capital.

Plots: The official said over 6,000 plots would be developed in the new sector, which would be allotted according to set criteria of the FGEHF under which quota- wise plots would be provided to federal government employees, general public, armed forces personnel, journalists and special people. app

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