ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: A Capital Development Authority advertisement on its website seeking planning, design and construction supervision services for its Park Enclave project has caused consternation and controversy in its ranks.

All the tasks mentioned in the ad are those the civic body is mandated to perform and its technical manpower was left wondering why the outsourcing of the same – that too when the CDA is in a financial bind?

The civic authority is already overstaffed with technical manpower, having the capacity to handle large and small size residential development projects.

A senior ranking official of the civic authority told Dawn that that the planning department had already submitted blue prints of Park Enclave’s project. Meaning: a major part of the planning phase had already been completed in-house. The question being that if CDA has the capacity to complete a project in-house, then why seek outside help?

Park Enclave was launched on July 5, 2011, by former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, during the tenure of former chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi.

The official said that CDA had already published brochures, which carried plot sizes and design maps. The brochures have already been purchased by potential buyers, during the sale of plots.

But till date, the project could not kickoff, mainly because of red-tape, according to the CDA official.

“The planning wing of CDA had already drafted the plan of Park Enclave and four directors from design department are
working on the design,” maintained the official.

In its web based advertisement, the official claimed: “The CDA invited applications from reputed National and International Engineering consultancy firms for town planning, detailed designing and construction supervision for infrastructural development works, such as road, bridges, storm drainage, water supply, nullah training works, landscaping and sewage treatment plant for Park Enclave.”

The deadline for submission of applications for the project is fixed for Dec 31, read the web advertisement.

“How could CDA hire consultants for a project, which only has 80 acres of land? Every developed sector of the city, over the last five decades, had at least 746 acres of land,” said one administration wing official.

He explained that every developed sector of the city comprises four sub-sectors, including a main markaz, spread around 746 acres.

“Park Enclave’s total land is 80 acres and if CDA’s huge infrastructure cannot develop such a project, it raises doubts over the development capacity of the authority,” maintained the official.

The official said that the chairman CDA, Syed Tahir Shahbaz, was not briefed over the shady advertisement issued on the official website of the authority. If he had been briefed by his managers, the advertisement could not have been floated on the CDA website.

“This web advertisement would further delay the start of the project, since hiring a consultancy firm would take over a month’s time. And for the completion of legal formalities, another two months is required,” maintained the official, who had been associated with residential projects in the past.

The official said that CDA already had hired the services of a project director, who had been tasked to manage the project and was specifically hired for the Park Enclave project.

However, when approached, the spokesman for CDA, Ramzan Sajid claimed: “For every project, CDA hires consultants.”

Mr Sajid claimed that it had floated the advertisement on merit and “such an advertisement is meant for the quick completion of Park Enclave project.”

The spokesman could not answer as to why the services of a number of planning wing officials from design department and building control section were ignored for the Park Enclave project.