The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has intensified its crackdown on illegal and unauthorised housing schemes and their extensions in areas under its jurisdiction, following the directions of Rawalpindi Commissioner and acting RDA Director General Salman Ghani.
The RDA’s Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP&TE) Directorate has issued show-cause notices to the owners and management of two housing schemes, Saffron City and Taj Residencia, over alleged violations of relevant laws and regulations.
According to an RDA press release, Taj Residencia was issued a notice for allegedly advertising and accepting bookings for plots in blocks and sectors, including Lotus, Cosmos and Blue Bell, which are not part of the layout plan approved by the authority.
The alleged unauthorised extension of Taj Residencia is located in Mouza Kak and Sheikhihpur in Rawalpindi district and has been declared illegal by the RDA.
Meanwhile, the management of Saffron City was served a show-cause notice for allegedly carrying out marketing, advertising, sale and booking of plots without obtaining the required no-objection certificate (NOC) or approval from the RDA.
The authority stated that 2,424 kanals of Taj Residencia and 882.85 kanals of Saffron City have been officially approved. Citizens have been advised to verify the legal status and approved details of housing schemes through the RDA’s official website before investing or purchasing property.
The RDA said that advertising, marketing or booking plots in any housing or building project before obtaining the necessary approval is a violation of the Punjab Development of Cities Act, 1976, and the Punjab Development Authorities Private Housing Scheme Rules, 2021.
The owners and management have been directed to immediately stop the alleged violations, restore the schemes in accordance with the approved layout plans and submit their replies within seven days. The RDA warned that failure to comply could result in further legal action without any additional notice.
The authority has also sent letters to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi, IESCO, SNGPL, PTCL, the district collector and the Environment Protection Agency regarding alleged illegal advertisements of private housing schemes on social media.
The RDA further warned the public against claims by developers regarding NOCs and urged potential investors to independently verify the approval status of any housing project before making an investment.