CDA housing scheme allottees left high and dry

ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of people, who were allured by the attractive sloganeering of Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the launch of Park Enclave, have been left high and dry as CDA badly failed to acquire and develop the sector despite collecting billions of rupees from the allottees on market price.

More than 50 persons out of almost 650, who were offered plots in 2011 and were promised to be given the possession in 2013, are still not sure even in 2017 when the CDA would fulfill its promise.

Despite its failure to give possession to all allottees of Park Enclave-I, the CDA in early 2015 launched Phase-II of the scheme with the promise that possession of the plots would be given in 12 months but the authority has failed to even start any development work.

Unlike other CDA sectors, the Park Enclave was launched to earn money and therefore, the applications were sought from the Pakistanis on market price. In 2011, the one kanal plot price was Rs12 million, which was revised as Rs17.5 million in 2014 for additional plots which were left unsold originally in Park Enclave-I. The price for one kanal plot for Park Enclave-II as advertised in early 2015 by the CDA was Rs22 million.

The CDA had launched Park Enclave, extended its two more phases, and collected money from people without even having physical possession of land for the project, it has been learnt on authority.

The CDA in December 2015 announced the second phase of Park Enclave. However, the process of giving possession of the land to its owners of first phase is yet to be completed. The authority earned billions of rupees through this scheme but the buyers are still waiting for the fulfillment of the civic body's promises of giving possession of the land in time.

After failing to get possession of the land from CDA, a number of investors have either asked for refunds or have halted payments. Similarly, many investors are still waiting for the agency to follow through on its promise.

As per the CDA documents, the civic body received around Rs5.6 billion under the head of Park Enclave. However, it only spent Rs200 million on the project during 2016-17.

It is pertinent to mention here that the allottees of the first phase of Park Enclave project are still waiting to get possession of their plots. However, the CDA announced new phases and sectors to make more money.

The Estate Management Directorate of the civic body recently has forwarded a new summary to the CDA Board, seeking relaxation in delayed payment charges. The summary also proposes allowing buyers to transfer their plots even on partial payment.

When contacted, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz confirmed that there was an issue in Park Enclave Phase-II and in some streets of Park Enclave Phase-I. However, he said the previous management of the CDA was responsible for these issues.

“The previous management is totally responsible for the delay in giving possession of plots to the allottees. The matter is now in the courts and let’s hope the court take any decision. It is true there is problem in getting land possession in phase-II and in a few streets of phase-I but we are trying to move the local residents of these areas to Kurri. As soon as we manage to move them to Kurri, the issue will be resolved,” commented the Mayor.