ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: Various uplift projects in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), amounting to over Rs10 million, have been awarded to contractors without prior approval and in violation of directives of top officials, an official source told Dawn.

The source said although member engineering of the CDA Brig Ghulam Akbar Bukhari had issued instructions that no project could be executed without prior approval of the competent authority, the projects were being awarded to favourite contractors without approval.

The member engineering had stopped payment of Rs150 million for various projects on the charge that these works had been initiated without prior approval. The projects were executed under the maintenance division of the CDA within the last two years and their payments were stopped on the suggestion of director-general services Jehanzeb Khan, the source added.

The source said some 11 projects, concerning maintenance of repair works, had been executed without any approval. These projects were: Supply of water pumps (No-6) in the parliament lodges, laying of carpets in suit No 310-A and 211-E in the parliament lodges, laying of drainage line in the parliament lodges, construction of car shed and maintenance work at house No 30, street 9 in sector I-8, repair and maintenance of house No 69 category-II, sector I-8/1, repair and maintenance of house No 7/G in sector G-6/4, repair and maintenance of house No 163-E, sector G-6/2, repair and maintenance of house No 18-G, sector F-6/4, repair and maintenance of house No 4-G, sector G-6/3, maintenance work at fire brigade headquarter and laying of carpets and installation of airconditioners in the executive block of the CDA office.

Some of the CDA contractors told Dawn that they had not received even a single penny for the last two years.

They said member engineering had assured them a couple of months ago that he would give approval for the release of Rs150 million after thorough checking of the sites of all projects. However, the payment have not been released so far, they added.

Some 50 contractors of the maintenance division have threatened the authority to stop maintenance of all important government buildings, including the Parliament House, Presidency and the Prime Minister’s House, if their outstanding dues were not paid and works on all development projects was not resumed soon.

The source said top bureaucracy of the CDA, especially from the engineering side, had stopped all uplift work in Islamabad causing trouble for the citizens.

All development works are stated to be at standstill on the directives of member engineering as he had issued directives that payments for all major projects should be released after his approval.

According to a circular, all directorates of the CDA have been directed that the newly-appointed member engineering would inspect all the projects before giving approval for payment to the CDA contractors.

APP ADDS: Capital Development Authority in its continuing operation against encroachers here on Tuesday demolished 25 illegal houses at Noorpur Shahan (Muslim Colony).