RAWALPINDI: Director GeneralRawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Capt Tahir Zafar Abbasi has advised citizens not to invest in illegal and unauthorised housing schemes that are operating without getting no-objection certificates (NOC) from the department concerned.

According to a spokesman, the DG also directed the authorities concerned to take strict action against illegal housing schemes. He instructed the officials to take all possible steps to provide relief to the citizens.

Mr Abbasi said citizens should be informed about the building and zoning regulations 2020 and status of all illegal housing schemes. He directed the RDA employees to make all-out efforts to address the complaints of the residents.

He ordered the Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) department to take strict action against illegal and unauthorised constructions and commercial activities. Land Use and Building Control (LU&BC) wing has also been instructed to take strict action against encroachments.

The spokesman said RDA had also requested Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) and PTCL not to extend their services to illegal housing schemes.

He said the RDA director general directed the authorities concerned to take strict action against illegal and unauthorised commercial and residential construction activities, booking offices and encroachments.

A plan for a grand operation against illegal housing societies has been devised. FIRs would be lodged against owners of illegal housing societies, he added.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2022