RAWALPINDI: The Chairman, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Tariq Mehmood Murtaza on Sunday said that the mushroom growth of housing societies started popping up here during Tehsil Municipal Authority (TMA’s) approval time.
He informed that as many as 250 schemes were emerged during 2013 to 2019 while out of these schemes only six were approved.
He said, RDA took legal action against all schemes which were not approved under Punjab Private Housing and Land Sub-Division Rules 2010.
The Chairman told that RDA issued 292 legal notices, 78 challans, also lodged 99 FIRs, sealed 106 offices and demolished gates and advertisement boards of illegal housing schemes during 2013-19.
In addition, other measures were also taken like District Collector was requested to stop land transfer in these schemes; Utility Departments like IESCO, Sui Gas, PTCL were requested not to extend their services. Marketing/booking offices establish in city areas were sealed. Status of the schemes was uploaded on RDA official website www.rda.gop.pk etc, he added.
He said, RDA is a legal entity for development planning of Rawalpindi City and there is a need to strengthen the existing legal institutions.
He informed that 44th Governing Body meeting of RDA had approved Terms of Reference (TOR) for preparing Rawalpindi Master Plan.
RDA had invited the reputed national and international consultancy service firms for Expression of Interest for the preparation of Master Plan of Rawalpindi City and also catering for the structure development plan of the whole District Rawalpindi.
These are short and long term plans and would comprehensively cover all the sectors of the city development. The plan would be made for next 25 years.
He said, in 2013 the government of Punjab had given authority to RDA for approving new housing schemes in whole Rawalpindi District as illegal housing schemes were emerging without any approval from defunct District Council due to lack of professional expertise and capacity.
After taking over the charge, RDA took immediate steps to curb the upbringing of new illegal housing schemes. Whereas, in 2019 it was decided by the Govt of Punjab that approved and under process housing schemes were also referred to RDA.
He said the RDA has requested Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to stop private TV channels from broadcasting advertisements of illegal housing societies, also requested the Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Director General of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to block bank accounts/social media accounts of the owners/followers of the illegal housing societies.
He said there is a difference between the agriculture land and vacant/barren areas. Obviously, the housing schemes are being developed on vacant/barren areas, with exception of small pockets of land. The recent notifications of the government of Punjab about agriculture land are being fully implemented in letter and spirit by RDA while processing of private housing schemes.
He said, there are changes between the Punjab Local Government Land Use Rules 2020 and Punjab Development Authorities Rules 2021 in terms of planning mechanisms and approaches.
Local Government Rules 2020 do not have provisions for pre-urban areas rather these provide limited option of Site Development Zones. The major cities where Development Authorities have been established demand the authorities to notify the pre-urban areas for the broad-based planning with demarcation of the land for specific uses including the agriculture.
The major area in the Rawalpindi where new and under process housing schemes exist fall under the jurisdiction of defunct District Council and now Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi.
He added that the building control in those areas where there is mushroom growth of the illegal societies, falls under the purview of MCR and TMA and they have miserably failed to fulfil their responsibilities in their jurisdiction. Moreover, the 2nd Master Plan of Rawalpindi has been awaiting its renewal since 2016 which is pending its formulation due to the jurisdiction issues between different departments and clarity in this regard.
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