RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Saturday extended a deadline to shift the private educational institutions in the city’s residential areas by the end of this academic year ending April 30.

RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza told Dawn that the authority asked the private schools to shift their outlets from residential areas by the end of this month. She said the owners of ‘illegal’ schools had to furnish an affidavit within 15 days stating that either they were ready to regularise their schools or stop their activities in the building (school), she said.

The schools operating in commercial areas, particularly roads, would have to convert their buildings to ‘commercial’ after paying a commercialisation fee. She said non-profit schools would have to furnish a certificate from the Federal Board of Revenue to avail incentive in the commercialisation fees.

She said that those schools which did not shift in the stipulated time would be sealed after the expiry of the deadline and fines would be imposed as well. She said that the building owners would have to pay a fine of Rs1,000 per day until the regularisation of their premises.

RDA chief says fines to be imposed, building will be sealed after deadline

“Since the school owners have not filed this affidavit yet, they are given a final chance to file this affidavit within seven days, otherwise legal action will be taken against them and the school will be closed and a fine will be collected. The term of the next academic year 2024 will be till April 30,” she added.

More than 100 schools are operating in the jurisdiction of the RDA in the garrison city, often leading to congestion on the roads during rush hours.

Similarly, due to constricted parking spaces in schools and colleges, people have to park their vehicles on roads and streets.

After a survey of the city, the Rawalpindi Development Authority in the first month of this year issued notices to 63 educational institutions located on main roads. The notices asked the owners to regularise their buildings by paying a 10 per cent fee for commercial use of the premises or shift to a different place.

These educational institutions are operating in Asghar Mall Scheme, Mohanpura, Saidpur Road, Satellite Town, Murree Road, Dhoke Khabba and other areas.

Last year, then Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha asked the district and cantonment authorities to take action against the educational institutions, hospitals, and other commercial centres on main roads to arrange their parking space. He asked all the schools, hospitals and other commercial establishments on main roads to manage their parking within their premises.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2024