May 5, 2003	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1424

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RAWALPINDI, May 4: The plan to launch a middle class housing scheme in Loi Bhir by the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has failed to materialize as the revenue department is yet to assess the government land at the site despite passage of over four years, official sources said.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif had directed the RDA in 1998 to launch a housing scheme on modern lines in Loi Bhir. He had been informed that the provincial government had 1,000 acres of land at the site.

Mr Shahbaz had also directed the RDA that people belonging to the middle class should benefit from the scheme and that the plots should be awarded on a first come and first serve basis.

As the RDA authorities were interested in taking up the first ever housing project, they soon notified the revenue department to demarcate the land so that its rate could be finalized before initiation of the project.

However, after the fall of Nawaz’s government on Oct 12, 1998, the process of assessment could not be carried out and the concerned officials hushed up the issue.

When the news about the national police foundation’s alleged encroachment on about 1,000 kanal of land at the site appeared in the press in February this year, the housing project officials of the RDA saw a threat to the plan and the revenue department was again approached for the demarcation of the land.

The revenue department was also asked to form a team of patwaris and tehsildars of Loi Bhir, Ko Kalan, Kotjee, Gangal, Rawalpindi and Islamabad to demarcate the land and assess the alleged encroachment by the NPF.

According to sources, Chief Minister Pervez Elahi has also   directed the revenue department to constitute the team, but no steps have been taken in this regard.

The concerned officials, however, told Dawn that they had not received any direction from the chief minister on the matter.

Sources in the RDA planning section said that the housing project, which would require 1000 acres of land, would consist of 8,000 plots of various sizes and could accommodate more than 40,000 people.

They said that despite interest of the chief minister, no progress could be made until the assessment of the land was carried out.