Citizens advised to check status of housing societies before investment

Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has advised the citizens to check the status of the housing societies before investment at website www.rda.gop.pk.

According to the Director General (DG), RDA, Kinza Murtaza, RDA was taking strict action in accordance with the law against the rules violators and issued 149 notices to illegal/fake housing schemes, as part of the Authority''s ongoing efforts to protect the general public from exploitation and financial losses. RDA had warned the public against investing in 149 housing schemes in the district that have not obtained the necessary NoCs or approvals from the authority, she added.

She informed that RDA had intensified its action against illegal/unapproved housing schemes which were misleading the citizens. The illegal schemes, which have been operating under false pretenses, have caused substantial financial loss by promising ownership of homes that only existed on paper, often limited to mere maps and advertisements. “RDA is committed to ensuring that the general public is protected from the harmful effects of these illegal schemes and utilizing all available resources to take strict action against illegal projects,” said DG Kinza Murtaza.

She urged the citizens to always verify the legality of any housing scheme before investments. "We advise everyone to consult with RDA to ensure that the scheme they are interested in is legally approved, and their investment is secure," she added. The DG said the RDA had also stopped the approval of new housing schemes.

A comprehensive survey was conducted, categorizing these schemes into three groups based on their legal status. On the directives of the Divisional Intelligence Committee, RDA Task Force was regularly conducting its operations against illegal housing schemes. The RDA enforcement squad while conducting operations against illegal housing schemes took action against a various rules violators including Top View City (D-17) Project of Orbit International, Al-Baraqa Garden, Kohsar Extension (F-Block) and Nabeel Block (Near Kohsar Extension), Ring Road Enclave (A Project of Jawahir City Pvt. Ltd.), Hurtus Floare, Countree Farmhouse and Resorts, Gilgit City, Mehmood Town (K & M Construction and Developers (Pvt) Ltd.), Hamdard City, Top View City, Wanni in Tehsil Taxila, Green Hurtus, illegal Land Subdivision near Gandhara City and Farm Land Estate, and others and demolished road infrastructure, security offices, sewerage lines, containers and removed advertisement boa­rds, panaflexes besides sealing the site offices.

RDA had also launched a comprehensive public awareness campaign about housing schemes to protect the general public from financial losses, she said. The DG advised the citizens to visit the RDA website www.rda.gop.pk or contact the RDAs One Window Operation centre to get information about legal and illegal housing schemes. Ms Murtaza said there were only 69 housing schemes that had obtained approval from the RDA under the law while all others were illegal, adding, We have prepared a list of the housing schemes which will face legal actions.

The DG assured that only legally approved housing schemes would be allowed to operate in future, and all such schemes would be monitored to ensure the safety and security of public investments.