RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has struggled to enforce its newly-adopted building by-laws and curb the rapid growth of illegal housing societies in the district.
Despite the updated regulations, housing developments continue to pop up without proper authorization.
A senior official criticized the inactivity of the RDA’s metropolitan planning and traffic engineering branch for the failure to regulate developers.
The official stated that the RDA’s responsibility was to develop a model housing society for private developers to follow, but the RDA had not fulfilled this duty in 34 years.
RDA has approved only 62 housing societies, but they have failed to meet the standard operating procedures.
The civic body must ensure that housing societies provide essential public facilities and transfer the land to the government, but at least 15 housing schemes sold their plots meant for public welfare projects.
The authority has failed to take action against the illegal housing schemes and needs to get its own house in order to launch a crackdown.
It was also said that a master plan for the city is necessary to stop the growth of illegal housing.
The RDA spokesman stated that the authority was working to control illegal housing societies and developing a master plan, which would be completed soon with the help of a consultant.
