CDA starts planning of new residential sector

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started working on a plan to launch a new residential sector on the instruction of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, sources told Daily Times on Thursday.

They said CDA’s new Member Planning Tahir Shamshad had called a meeting of officers concerned to discuss the proposals regarding launching a new residential sector in federal capital. After finalising the proposal, CDA will send the to the prime minister for approval, they added.

They said Director General Planning Ghulam Sarwar Sindhu, Hafiz Ehsan and other officers participated in the meeting that discussed requirements for launching a new residential sector. The meeting also discussed the possibilities to generate funds for launching the new sector. The meeting said if once a project would be started it should not be stopped due to shortage of funds.

Gilani had instructed the CDA management during his visit to CDA headquarters to open a new residential sector. The prime minister assured the management that he was ready to help out CDA regarding its launching, they added.

They said for the last 22 years CDA had not opened any proper residential sector, as in sector I-15 the plots were of almost same size and it was not possible to complete it in near future. Earlier, Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation, an ancillary department of Ministry of Housing had launched sector G-14 in 2004, but it was not a CDA project.

In 2006 CDA had started considering seven new sectors including F-13, D-13, E-13, C-13, C-14, C-15 and C-16, of which it was decided to open sector C-14 through a joint venture with a private company but the proposal was also delayed, the sources maintained. They said presently only eight percent residents of the federal capital were living in their own houses and remaining were either in rented or in the government accommodations and dreaming to have their own house. They said over 35 percent residents of the federal capital moved to housing societies located in Zone II and V and some to Bhara Kahu and nearby residential colonies located in Zone IV, as CDA did not open a proper residential sector since a long time. They said if CDA managed to open a new sector and complete it in time, it would be one of its biggest achievements.