Islamabad - In what could well serve as a traumatic report for the high-ups of the cash-strapped Capital Development Authority (CDA), the last contractor of the I-11 cattle market has claimed Rs 10 million as compensation from the authority for cancellation of the contract, sources in the CDA told The Nation on Tuesday.
The sources said that the contractor, Raja Brothers, has asked the directorate of municipal administration to pay as compensation Rs 10 million for cancellation of the contract as it suffered a lot of financial loss in the deal. On September 18 this year, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had auctioned the temporary cattle market for sacrificial animals to Raja Brothers against a bid of Rs 21 million. A total of 45 companies had participated in the bidding. Last year, the same facility was bid out for Rs 10 million.
The market for sacrificial animals was set up near Fruit and Vegetable Market in front of Metro Cash and Carry and was to be run from 1st Zilhajj (September 25) to 13th Zilhajj (September 8) to facilitate the residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and the surrounding areas. However, Raja Brothers reportedly started charging additional levies on animals brought to the market and the Islamabad High Court on September 26 cancelled the licence awarded to the contractor.
While entertaining a petition filed by a local trader, the Islamabad High Court declared the auction process illegal after the Capital Development Authority failed to produce any documents justifying the levy. The petitioner’s counsel maintained that the contractor was charging Rs 120 as entry fee on each goat and sheep and Rs 200 on each herd of cattle. He said that besides the levy, the contractor was also collecting parking fees from motorcyclists and car owners visiting the market.
The Capital Development Authority municipal administration directorate failed to satisfy the court on the levy and the court also directed the Capital Development Authority to immediately take action against the contractor for collecting fee from citizens.
The Capital Development Authority was, in the meanwhile, directed to make all arrangements at the cattle market to facilitate the shoppers. The authorities, according to the sources, have forwarded the demand of the contractor to the Director Quantity Survey for further action.
Meanwhile, on the directions of Chairman Capital Development Authority Maroof Afzal, operation against nonconforming use of residential units in front of Markaz F-7 is under way.  Enforcement directorate, building control section and other concerned formations of the authority are jointly participating in the operation.
During the operation the other day, the special teams of Capital Development Authority raided house number 2-C, street number 20, F-7/2, (where Entourage Restaurant was operating) and removed its furniture. The anti-encroachment team of Capital Development Authority also took action against house number 20-A (Junaid Jamshaid Boutique) and house number 20-B (Karma Boutique) on College Road, and removed the signboards.