PDA retrieves commercial plot from grabbers

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) on Friday retrieved from grabbers 18 kanal of prized land in posh Hayatabad town in Phase-II, near Civic Centre and Itwar Bazaar.

According to the PDA spokesman, the land was allotted to a firm, Marwat Enterprises, in year 2006 to construct a three star hotel. But the firm never launched the construction work through all this time on various pretexts.

The spokesman said the firm kept on putting political pressure on the PDA officials and continued drawing benefits illegally from the plot of land.

“The PDA chief defied all pressures and revoked the allotment of the plot. The grabbers tried to raise a boundary wall [around the plot] and construct a shed to grab the plot of land by force,” said a communique issued by the PDA.

The spokesman said under instructions from the PDA Director General Salim Hassan Wattoo, Building Control Authority Director Arif Khan on Friday dismantled the illegal construction from the plot

The communication said the market value of the plot ran into millions of rupees. It said further action would be taken on the piece of land as per the PDA rules to raise the state revenue.