ISLAMABAD: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) will now have its partial scheme in Islamabad as the federal cabinet has approved a joint venture of Capital Development Authority (CDA) and DHA for developing the Kuri Model Scheme on CDA land.

Sources said the cabinet a few days ago approved a summary of CDA, allowing the joint venture between the civic agency and DHA for developing the housing scheme on 10,000 kanals in Zone IV of Islamabad.

Plots will be developed by the DHA and shared by both the organisations under a land-sharing formula. Though it is not officially confirmed, sources said the CDA would have 55pc and the DHA 45pc of the plots. Both the parties will sign a formal agreement soon.

Earlier this year, the CDA had in an advertisement stated that it wanted to get the project developed through private partnership.

In response, several developers including DHA, Bahria Town, Park View, Faisal Hills, New City Paradise and AKD Group submitted their applications in February this year.

However, after receiving the applications, the CDA slowed down the process. While claiming that “only one developer came up with criteria”, it decided to go for the public-private partnership only with DHA. The CDA board last week approved a summary and decided to take up the matter with the federal cabinet.

“Yes, our summary has been approved by cabinet through circulation and soon we will go for singing agreement with DHA,” said an officer of the CDA. “This project is beneficial for us as we receive thousands of plots without making any investment,” he claimed and added that the land where the project was going to be developed had been in adverse possession for decades.

It is relevant to note here that DHA owed CDA 729 plots against its previous deals to hand over 2,412 kanals and five marlas to the DHA. Both the organisations had signed an agreement under which the CDA was supposed to get 729 plots. But it has still not succeeded in getting the agreed upon plots.

However, CDA officials claimed that under the new agreement on the Kuri housing scheme, DHA will also give the previous 729 plots to the CDA.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2024