RAWALPINDI - Construction sans approved building plan has been on the rise in around a dozen housing schemes but Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has failed to take stern action against violators due to political influence.
RDA could add millions of rupees to its kitty under the head of building plan violations but officials are keeping silence and sitting idle over the issue.
RDA official on condition of anonymity told INP that crackdown against building plan violations could not only generate millions of rupees for the body but also stop the illegal practice.
“Political influence is the biggest impediment in the operation against building plan violations. RDA officials get suspended whenever they take action against violators as politicians make telephone calls to high up and stop operations,” he added.
He said that housing schemes under the control of RDA were also found on the same page as illegal construction could not be stopped there.
It should be mentioned here that stern crackdown against illegal construction could prove a ‘money spinning process’ for RDA which will ultimately help the body to finance various pending uplift project in the garrison city. However frequent intervention by political heavyweights of the city is the hurdle and as a result the authority is suffering.
Meanwhile, Excise and Taxation Department Rawalpindi, in the ongoing operation against the tax defaulters, has sealed 36 properties, including residential and commercial units. E&T officials said that Rs3.2 million tax arrears were due on the defaulters.
Under the supervision of ETO Property Tax, Shahzad Malik,  AETOs Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed, Suhail Sabir and Chaudhry Hanif, inspectors of the E&T conducted operation against tax evaders in different parts of the city including Sadiqabad, A and C Block, Gulshan Dadan Khan, Committee Chowk, Muslim Town, Dhoke Naju, and New Katarian. However, over a dozen properties were cleared upon recovery of Rs1.3 million from the defaulters.