ISLAMABAD – Following the amendments in CDA’s Restoration Policy - 2009 the Capital Development Authority has restored as many as 11 valuable commercial and residential plots across the federal capital - which were earlier cancelled by the authority for non-payment of dues or other reasons.
The residential and commercial plots included Plot No. 19 and Plot No. 21 located at Wholesale Market I-11/3, Plot No. 17 at Grain Market I-11/3, Plot No. 5 at Sanitary Ware Market I-11/3, shop-cum-flat No. 3, 4 and 9 in F-6 Markaz, Plot No. 39 and 40 at ITK Road, Plot No. 310 ITK Road, Plot No. 31-A and Plot No. 29 at Markaz G-9 have been restored by the Authority since June 3, 2011.
On June 3, 2011 during a special CDA Board meeting the amendments were introduced in clause 4 of the Restoration Policy-2009.
According to Restoration Policy-2009, a plot could be cancelled for several reasons including non-payment of dues or non-completion of building within specified time, nonconforming use of building, violations of terms and conditions, sub-division or amalgamation of plot without permission of competent authority, violation of municipal byelaws or building regulations and fraudulent allotment.
Restoration Policy-2009 that was came into force on January 1, 2010 covers all residential, commercial, agro, institution and all other plots disposed off by the Authority. As per this policy the Authority considers requests for restoration of allotment of plots made within one year from the date of cancellation of plot.
Following the amendments in 2009 policy of restoration two separate clauses including 3-b and 3-c have been inserted in a bid to restore plots, which were cancelled years ago. Clause 3-b provides application for restoration of allotted plots on which building has been completed received after one year may be considered by imposing current auction/market price as restoration charges in case of cancellation due to non-payment of dues.
While Clause 3-c provides if the plot is vacant and request is received after one year then the same will be considered for restoration by imposing a special fine of Rs500 per square yard per annum.
Insertion of these clauses had opened new door of corruption in CDA, where official restored plots, against nominal charges, which were cancelled years ago.
The matter of fact is that these “special” amendments were made during a CDA Board meeting where it was not part of meeting’s agenda and was treated as non-agenda item to avoid criticism. The mood of payment selected in case of restoration of some plot is: “In case the allottee opts to pay the restoration charges in instalments the amount shall be payable in 03 instalments of 40 per cent, 30 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. The first instalment of 40 per cent shall be payable by the allottee within 30 days of issuance of Board’s decision.
The remaining 60 per cent shall be payable in two equal quarterly instalments of
30 per cent each in which delayed charges/prescribed interest rate shall also be applied which will be calculated from the date of payment of the first 40 per cent instalment or after the date of accruing the date of payment of first instalment.
If the payment of either 100 per cent or 40 per cent is not made within 30 days of the issuance of Board’s decision, the decision of Restoration would become ineffective and treated as withdrawn automatically.
All of these plots have been restored by CDA taking grounds that cases of these plots were considered by CDA on the findings of Wafaqi Mohtasib. Where they find good returns for themselves they consider that option or otherwise they move courts against Wafaqi Mohtasib’s decision.