RAWALPINDI, Nov 19: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has failed to remove encroachments from a land purchased from the Forestry Department of the Punjab government to launch its Loi Behr Housing Scheme, Dawn has learnt.

According to sources, about 100 acres of the land have been encroached upon by some private housing societies.

About two months ago, the Punjab communications minister, Lt-Gen Mohammad Tariq, had asked the civic body to ensure removal of encroachments and initiate work on the project as early as possible to provide lodging facilities to the residents of Rawalpindi.

The district Nazim, Raja Tariq Kiani, who is also the chairman of RDA governing body, has also asked the officials concerned get the land free from illegal occupation.

The Loi Behr Scheme, however, has been included in the budgetary projects the civic body intends to launch during the current financial year.

The project was launched in 1990, but work on it still has not been started. About 200 and 848 acres were allocated for the scheme during the first and second tenure of the PML government, respectively.

Lack of interest and inefficiency on part of the RDA town planning in charge is the main impediment in the project’s completion, the sources claimed.

Not to talk of any housing project or other civic facilities for the people, the RDA could not construct its own office building so far. It has been functioning in a dilapidated rented building. Work on constructing its own office building was started in 1998. It is not certain when the building will be completed, an RDA official commented.