ISLAMABAD - Coming down hard on the mushroom growth of illegal housing societies in the limits of the federal capital, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started writing to the utility services providing agencies including Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) to immediately stop entertaining applications for new connections, it has been learnt reliably.
Sources in the directorate of housing societies of the CDA told this scribe on Sunday that the directorate has recently written separate letters to the utility services providing agencies, asking them not to entertain applications for new connections as was recommended by the federal cabinet in the wake of mushroom growth of illegal housing societies some years back. The directorate has pointed out over 100 such housing societies some weeks back and also put a question mark over the performance, capacity and will of the concerned directorates of the CDA in checking growth of what the authority viewed illegal housing schemes. The sources further said that housing societies directorate will also ask the enforcement directorate to take strict action against such housing schemes. The action is being taken against illegal housing schemes which either have not obtained NOC from CDA or they are falsely marketing them as located within the limits of Islamabad.
On the other hand, during a special operation, the enforcement staff of the authority along with Islamabad Capital Administration (ICT) and heavy contingent of Islamabad police took action against Paradise Housing Scheme located at Lehtarar Road and demolished boundary wall, outer periphery and opening face of the society. The action was taken after completion of serving due notices. The CDA also took action against The Eden Life Housing Scheme and removed signboards of the society from Lehtarar Road.
Earlier, the CDA through a public notice floated in print media had warned general public to refrain from making any purchase in sixteen (16) un-authorized housing schemes of zone 2, 3 and Sector E-11; sixty four (64) housing societies of zone 4; 29 housing schemes located in Zone 5 and five (05) housing societies namely Muhafiz Gardens, Rawat Enclave, Faisal Town, Grace Land Housing, and Air Line Avenue which are being falsely propagated as located in Islamabad. These housing societies have been served notices after which action in accordance with prevailing laws has been initiated.
In the meanwhile, Chairman CDA Maroof Afzal has directed the relevant formations to ensure strict action against unauthorised and illegal housing societies in Islamabad. He directed to peruse the cases vigorously for early vacation of stay orders obtained from different courts of law. He said that CDA has also decided to take up the matter with SNGPL, WAPDA and PTCL, which have provided different facilities and services in these housing societies without issuance of mandatory NOC from the CDA.