ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has prepared a PC-I for development works to the tune of Rs10 billion in rural areas of the federal capital that will be approved by the Development Working Party (DWP) today (Thursday).

In his first media briefing on Wednesday, CDA Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal shared the details of his new plans, including the development projects in rural areas, which would “end the urban-rural divide”.

“We have prepared a PC-I, which will be presented before the DWP meeting on Thursday for approval,” he said.

The CDA chief said there was an ongoing debate about whether the civic body could undertake uplift projects in the rural areas of Islamabad. “We reached this decision that the CDA could do so since it approves no-objection certificates (NOCs) for housing societies and also collect some other taxes,” he said.

Mengal says civic body to organise three-day literature festival on March 17

According to PC-I, the project will be completed in two years and is in conformity with the objectives of rural development outlined in the prospective plan, including necessary infrastructure facilities such as roads, clean drinking water, streets pavement, and other basic requirements in the rural areas.

“In most of the rural areas… water flows in existing kutcha (unpaved) streets which creates unhygienic situation /pollution in the locality; similarly, the existing roads, water supply and street pavement/ sanitation system are in dilapidated conditions and require immediate repair,” read the PC-I.

The project will provide sanitation, good communication, drinking water, and basic facilities to almost 700,000 inhabitants.

Literature festival

The CDA chairman informed reporters that the civic body was also going to organise a three-day Islamabad Literature Festival starting from March 17 which would likely be held at F-9 Park. Mr Mengal said former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari, former principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad, and Adeel Hashmi will be heading the management committee for the said festival.

Speaking about housing, he said that sector development was among his top priorities and recently, he had suspended the director of sector development as well as directed the engineering wing to expedite work in E-12, I-12.

He said Sector I-15 was almost finished and added that on March 10, more than 5,000 allottees will be given possession letters for the sector.

He said that he had also directed the wing concerned to give possessions of plots to people in partially develop sectors like I-12 and E-12 as well. “If someone has a plot in a developed sub-sector then they should be granted possession to build their house; possession of land should not be delayed because of incomplete work in other sectors,” he said.

To a query, Mr Mengal said that he was cognizant of the issue of the public at the citizen facilitation centre and he had decided to sit there once a week to sort out the issue. The CDA is also going for the automation of records to end the role of third parties, the chairman said and added that the civic body is also going to set up a solid waste management agency, building and housing control agencies, and a park and horticulture agency as well.

He also said that the civic agency was in the final stage of hiring 150 buses from a state-owned company for plying on 13 new Islamabad routes. He added that private express service is also being planned.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2023