CDA to amend 1960 ordinance to make way for public-private partnerships.

Byline: Kashif Abbasi

ISLAMABAD -- The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started work on making changes to its ordinance of 1960 and is improving its other rules as well to improve its operation and pave way for starting projects under public-private partnerships.

The changes in the ordinance will mainly focus on public-private partnership and on bringing improvement in land acquisition and built-up-property rules, so the rates offered match the current market value.

The CDA has been compensating those whose lands were acquired for developing sectors under decades-old rules which it now wants to make relevant according to the current market value.

Civic agency also wants to improve land acquisition, built-up-property rules so rates offered match current market value

During a meeting of a sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, which met on Friday in parliament with Senator Rubina Khalid in the chair, CDA Member Estate Khushal Khan said the civic agency cannot partake in a public-private partnership according to the existing ordinance. He said such partnerships are now imperative for the civic agency. He said the land acquisition and compensation rules should also be updated.

'These changes are on the cards,' he said, adding that the CDA is in consultation with its parent ministry, the Ministry of Interior, in regards to these proposals which will be submitted to the federal government for final approval.

He said that as per CDA Ordinance 1960 and subsequent rules and regulations, the civic agency could not offer a box settlement to those whose lands it has acquired.

He cited the example of E-12 where people who have purchased plots from CDA have been waiting for three decades for possession of their plots when the CDA has yet to even secure possession of the land from locals so it can develop the sector. There is an impasse between the locals and CDA over built-up-property claims.

Mr Khan said the existing rehabilitation policy of the civic agency for those affected includes a special compensation for landless dwellers.

Taking advantage of this clause, encroachers from other cities have been establishing shanty houses in order to get compensation as a landless...