ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Thursday referred issues related to a mega housing project - Nilore Height - in Alipur Frash to the standing committee on interior and the civic agency.

The project of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) stalled after completion of about 60 per cent work.

The issue was taken up on the floor of the house by MNA Aliya Kamran. In her written question, she had asked for the details of projects initiated by the CDA in the last five years which she said had either entirely been abandoned or left incomplete.

In response, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in a written reply said no project initiated by the CDA in the last five years had been left “abandoned, incomplete or demolished.”

Speaker refers stalled Nilore Height housing project to standing committee

However, the reply stated that the low-cost housing project at Alipur Frash, with a physical progress of 66pc was progressing at a slow pace due to financial constraints, contractor’s claims due to abnormal inflation in the market and non-fulfillment of financial obligations by Naya Pakistan Development Housing Authority (Naphda) as per MoU signed between CDA, Naphda and the contractor, FWO. The minister said the CDA was trying its level best to complete the project at the earliest.

During the discussion, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told the house that the project saw slow progress as Nphda did not fulfill its contractual obligations. He said the incumbent chairman of the CDA was trying to run CDA with new spirit and several new projects were also being launched.

However, Aliya Kamran expressed dissatisfaction over the interior ministry’s reply about details of the projects which were started and left abandoned during the last five years.

She said that the CDA officials were misleading the house and action should be taken against them for concealment of facts, adding an inquiry should be ordered against the CDA for not sharing facts with the house.

She said CDA had spent Rs70 million on a women bazaar in G-11, but later the project was halted while a cycling track was also started along the Constitution Avenue, and now there is no clue of the track, adding she had a list of the abandoned projects.

She requested the speaker to refer the matter to the standing committee on the interior.

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also showed concerns over the delay in completion of Nilore Height project, asking who will be responsible for cost escalation. He then referred the matter to the standing committee on interior.

The project worth Rs 31 billion had two phases. Under the first phase, 2,400 small apartments (each measuring 779 square feet) had been built and only finishing work on them was pending. Under this phase, CDA constructed 2,400 apartments in 60 blocks of ground-plus-four storeys.

The second phase (whose foundation work was conducted) was meant for commercial auction and the CDA would construct state-of-the-art 1,876 apartments of various sizes up to 1441 square feet and it was a joint project of CDA and Nphda as the CDA was supposed to hand over substantial a number of apartments to Naphda against payment for further allotment.

The project was initially named ‘Farash Town’ apartment scheme in 2021 and 2,400 apartments were originally meant for lower strata of society. However, the name was later changed to Nilore Height Project.

After discussion of the project, MNA Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto said the CDA had launched E-12 about three decades ago but failed to develop it. However, she said recently the civic agency decided to impose development charges of Rs9,000 per square yard on the allottees, which was an injustice with the people. Her views were supported by MNA Malik Abrar.

The information minister told the house that development charges were not imposed only in E-12 but on the allottees of C-14, C-15 and C-16 as well for completion of the development work. He proposed formation of a grievance redresser committee.

The speaker said local MNAs should also be made members of the committee and the issue should be decided on a priority basis.

Meanwhile PML-N MNA Syed Javed Ali Shah said he was also one of the victims of the CDA. He said he had purchased a plot in Park Enclave II and had paid all dues in six months, but he received a notice for paying delayed charges of Rs4.5 million. On the other hand, he said the scheme was still incomplete.

MNA Rana Ansar in his written question asked whether the CDA had declared over 170 housing societies illegal and if so, what steps were being taken by the government.

He also questioned the CDA over its failure in development of new sectors to accommodate increasing population and prevent growth of illegal societies.

In his written reply, interior minister said there were a numbers of illegal and unauthorised societies, adding a list of such societies was available on CDA website.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2024