PESHAWAR, Sept 4: Property dealers have complained that slow pace of development work and introduction of one-window operation for transfer of plot ownership are creating problems for them and investors.

“More than 1,000 property dealers in the city are facing problems after the setting up of the one-window counter,” said Mazhar Wakeel Durrani, president of the Estate Dealers’ Association.

“The counter had been set up on the directive of the National Accountability Bureau after complaints of corruption,” said an official.

The property dealers say that they pay Rs25,000 as registration fee to the excise department besides an annual fee of Rs2,500.

“After introduction of the one-window operation, people fear that NAB will take action against those involved in frequent transfer of land ownership. The process of transferring ownership also takes a long time,” said Mr Durrani. He claimed that the process took two days before the launching of the one-window operation on Aug 19.

Most of the estate agents deal in Regi Model Town. The project was started in 2003 but of the 26,857 plots in it, 5,173 reserved for the general public and 2,642 for auction are yet to be allotted.

Imposition of capital value tax by the federal government at the rate of Rs30,000 per kanal has also repelled investors.

“Before the one-window operation the transfer was easy but now a host of formalities keeps the investors away,” he said.

Earlier, about 20 plots’ ownership was transferred daily but the number had decreased to about five, dealers said.

They said there were no facilities of gas, electricity, recreation, sports, schools and health in the Regi Township, which was keeping the investors away. They said the project was supposed to be completed in four years at a cost of Rs8 billion.

They said announcement by the district government of launching new housing schemes was affecting their business in the township.

“Only five per cent of the development work has been completed so far,” an official said.