RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) will manage the affairs of private housing societies and grant building approval after Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the District Council.

For this purpose, a five-member committee has been formed to finalise the modalities.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that there were reports about mushroom growth of housing societies in the district, therefore, it was decided that the authority to monitor and regularise them was handed over to one civic body.

He said a meeting was held with Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema, who also serves as the District Council administrator, last week to resolve this lingering issue.

Meeting called next week to finalise MoU

He said a committee was constituted to finalise the terms and conditions regarding transfer of functions (private housing societies and Building Control) from the District Council to the RDA, adding that a meeting would be called next week to finalise the MoU.

The committee comprises Director (Planning), RDA; Municipal Officer (Planning), Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation; District Officer (Regulations), District Council; District Officer (Planning), District Council and Deputy Director (Planning), RDA.

The official said the Rawalpindi District Council would provide available data and human resources to the RDA.

“The RDA will formally take over the charge of private housing societies’ function in the local government areas from June 25 when the District Council administrator delegates powers to the development authority,” he added.

The official said till the finalisation of the MoU, the RDA could not legally look after the affairs of private housing societies in the district or take legal action against the illegal societies, schemes and constructions.

Earlier, he said the RDA was of the view that after notification of Housing Scheme Rules-2022 by the local government and community development department, its role regarding affairs of private housing schemes had been confined.

However, the official explained that the local government would entrust any of its function to the development authority under Section 23 of Local Govt Act 2022, as all correspondence had already been initiated between the RDA and local governments to finalise the MoU.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2023