RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has taken notice of alleged illegal construction and encroachments in Bahria Town after a visit to the area by its team on the complaint of residents of the society.

RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza told Dawn that the residents of Bahria Town under the banner of an association met her and pointed out illegal construction and encroachments on plots reserved for green areas, parks, drainage system and roads.

She said she formed a team comprising RDA Director Jamshaid Aftab and building control branch officials which visited the site and found illegal activities in the housing scheme.

She said the residents pointed out that the layout plan of the housing scheme’s Phase 8 had not been uploaded on the RDA website. Upon this, Ms Murtaza said, she asked the RDA information technology branch to upload all layout plans of approved housing schemes under administrative control of the RDA.

Director general says some under-construction buildings in Phase 8 sealed, warning issued against encroaching amenity plots

Ms Murtaza said there were some genuine issues in Bahria Town Phase-8 and the RDA had sealed some under-construction buildings and issued warning against encroaching amenity plots.

Apart from this, she said the RDA would launch an awareness campaign to sensitise people not to invest in any illegal housing scheme.

“As many as 59 housing schemes in Rawalpindi are legal while all others are illegal. We have prepared a list which will be displayed on a banner outside the commissioner’s office for public awareness from Monday,” she said.

Ms Murtaza said Commissioner Aamir Khattak had also taken notice of illegal activities in housing schemes and directed to compile data so necessary action would be taken against the owners soon.

Earlier, an association of the residents of Bahria Town in a video on social media alleged unauthorised construction and encroachments on amenity plots, roads and parks in the society creating problems for the residents and traders.

In the video, Tahir Nihad Bajwa, the president of the association called Brace, said on April 4, RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza sent a team on the request of the association that visited

various sites in Bahria Town Phase-1 to Phase-8 to check encroachments by the society administration and collected evidence.

At the same time, he said, some unknown people, perhaps not aware of the facts, held a protest against Dawn newspaper for publishing a story regarding illegal activities in Bahria Town Karachi.

“The facts published by Dawn are research based and showed courage to highlight illegal activities of the housing society,” Mr Bajwa said, adding that facts could be verified and understood by any educated person.

Following the joint visit of the RDA and Brace teams, Mr Bajwa said an inspection was carried out by the director of RDA planning across specified locations in Bahria Town.

“This effort aimed to audit the current state of the areas against approved layouts and document any discrepancies, particularly focusing on the Soan River bank areas, Overseas-1 and 2 and the Business District,” he said.

He said the inspection confirmed several violations, leading to a resolute decision to take immediate action against Bahria Town and real estate agencies.

Mr Bajwa said they had been living in Bahria Town since 2012 and since then the management had raised maintenance charges, electricity bills by more than 40pc in the society compared to other localities.

He said the business community also faced numerous problems as the society failed to maintain rules and regulations in line with government policy.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2024