ISLAMABAD, April 21: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been authorized to initiate development work in sector D-12, the National Assembly was informed on Monday.

On a question by MNA Mian Mohammad Aslam, the assembly was informed that the development work of the sector would be completed within 20 months.

However, a source in the CDA told Dawn that the authority had not received any directive to start the development work after the clash last year in which two villagers were killed.

The NA was informed that the development charges of D-12 would be Rs650 per sq yard, but in sector G-13 the charges would be Rs300 per sq yard.

The source said PC-I of the project amounting to Rs788 million was approved by the CDA board in 1988 but the project could not be implemented and its estimated cost escalated by Rs3.2 billion.

Recently the Executive Committee of National Economic Council has slashed its cost by Rs2 billion.

The source said the CDA had already acquired development charges from the owners but the amount generated through such charges and the sale of plots had been utilized for other projects. The convention centre was one of them, the source added.

According to the PC-I of the project, some 3,445 residential plots would be carved out including 725 plots for construction of flats.

Some 870 plots will be auctioned and the money generated be utilized for the development of the sector.

Another official of the Authority was of the view that the revised cost was not sufficient to meet the development expenditure.

The official said the CDA had already awarded contracts for the construction of roads, sewage system, bridges and water supply system in the new sector.

The official said the entire project would be completed within three years.