RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has advised the general public not to invest in any illegal, unauthorised housing schemes and building projects.

The authority has also warned administrations of illegal housing schemes of strict action and directed owners of five such schemes to stop illegal advertisements and development works.

These include Safari Green Farm Housing Scheme Adiala Road, Mahmood Town Dhamyal Road, T&T Extension Defence Road, Kohsar Extension Taxila Road and Al-Miraj Garden on Chakri Road.

According to Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering Director Jamshaid Aftab, RDA has declared several housing schemes illegal and unauthorised.

Notices have been issued to owners of such schemes under the Punjab Private Housing Schemes and Land Subdivision Rules, 2010.

The owners have been warned of strict action in accordance with the law if development work and advertisements were not immediately stopped. RDA will seal their site offices, he said.

Mr Aftab advised citizens in their own interests to not invest in any illegal and unauthorised housing scheme.

He said RDA has requested utility service departments to not extend services to such schemes.

Meanwhile, RDA has also made functional a one-window operation centre to facilitate residents. According to the authority’s spokesperson Hafiz Irfan, who is also in-charge of the centre, the operation was launched earlier but was abolished some five years ago.

He said the centre was made operational again on the instructions RDA Director General Rana Akbar Hayat. Officials at the centre have started receiving applications and addressing public complaints.

Mr Aftab said the director general is taking a keen interest in solving problems faced by the public and that the one-window operation will prove a great facility for them.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2018