ISLAMABAD, May 13: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) board has prepared five mega development projects it would present to the new government in the centre.
Mian Nawaz Sharif, president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), during his victory speech on May 11 in Lahore claimed that his party would come up with a development package for the people and “will address their (peoples’) issues within 100 days.”“In line with his speech, we have prepared five projects which will be presented to the new premier once he takes oath of the office of the prime minister,” chairman CDA Syed Tahir Shahbaz told Dawn on Monday.
According to details shared by the CDA chairman the authority would launch residential sectors C-14 and C-15, Bus Rapid Transport Service, meeting the revenue target of Rs20 billion through implementation of building bylaws on 33 housing societies in the city, launching of sector I-12 (Islamabad Saddar), and CDA Medical College.
He said that his board members had prepared all the initial plans in this regard which would be submitted to the new prime minister.
During the last five years the city could only see two residential schemes -- Park Enclave and Margallah Retreat Housing Scheme, which are in limbo.
Park Enclave was launched in July 2011 during the tenure of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
A finance wing official said that Park Enclave’s development project money was spent on non-development projects like paying the salaries to the employees of the CDA.
The project is going on at a snails pace, he said, and no progress is in sight in near future.
Regarding Margallah Retreat, the official said, the project was in litigation with Multi Professional Housing Society.
In September 2011, plots measuring 500 sq yds were offered to potential buyers through advertisements.
The Margalla Avenue project was launched with great fanfare on May 24, 2012 and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had published special supplements on its ground-breaking ceremony, which was attended by former premier Gilani. Construction began in June 2012.
“The road is still incomplete and cash starved authority started the project mainly under the political influence of the PPP local leaders,” said the official.
In July 2012, the civic authority sought expression of interest for running the transport service.
Besides, the Capital Development Authority also decided to establish an independent Islamabad Transport Company, to be headed by one of its senior officials, which will be responsible for negotiations, contracts and agreements regarding the transport services besides regulating other relevant affairs. “But nothing could materliase during all these months,” maintained the official.
But the chairman CDA Mr Shahbaz claimed: “We are hopeful that these projects will have political backing and hopefully we will deliver.”
Status Quo
However, it is worth mentioning that since the inauguration of Syed Tahir Shahbaz as new chairman, the authority could not launch any new project. It also failed to ensure its writ in the city.
“We have failed to implement building control by-laws, vacate greenbelt from multinational and national companies in mauve area, remove encroachment from the city,” asserted the official.
He said that the CDA chairman Syed Tahir Shahbaz and his board members were also not interested in implementing CDA’s rules and regulations on the violators who are openly encroaching on CDA’s land.
“The chairman is also maintaining a status quo and always wait for orders from the top (office of the Prime Minister) despite the fact he was reinstated on merit by the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” said the official.
And this time again, officials said, the chairman is waiting for the new government which would be seen in power by the start of the next month.
“The board members and the chairman are responsible for poor development and infrastructure of the city since they are not interested in speedy actions to address the basic civic issues,” asserted the official.