Bahria Town: A Review


Islamabad ! The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has initiated development work in the dream and the exclusive housing project (Park Enclave) of the Federal Capital in Zone-IV. The Chairman CDA said that Park Enclave would be the best ever housing project in the history of the Federal Capital, which has been planned in the splendid area of Zone-IV and accessible by all major roads and avenues of the city.

Parallel to Park Enclave, a famous private developer launched residential scheme in Zone IV of Islamabad, named Bahria Enclave. The owner of Bahria Enclave, Malik Riaz has claimed his society to offer similar benefits as offered by CDA's Park Enclave. These include:

1. Bahria Enclave is right next to CDA's Park Enclave
2. The plots are at half the price of land in Park Enclave
3. Easy Access road links from Kashmir Highway, Islamabad Highway and Lehtarar Road
4. Everyone will get plot in Bahria an plot numbers will be given on the spot
5. Similar facilities to those offered by CDA Park Enclave


However, the reality and factual details are quite different. Bahria Enclave is the next biggest land scam, exploiting the innocent people of Pakistan.

RTI Research Centre has conducted a thorough research to dig out facts and save valuable public investments. The report has been made by analyzing the opinions of real estate experts, information through media, comments of land owners from both the residential schemes and views of general public.

CDA scheme boasts of plots of 500 square yard with each plot costing Rs15 million. Bahria Enclave offers same sized plots on half the prices. The first advertisements of the Bahria Town project have appeared in the print media; and the housing society has managed to create some interest.

The very first fraud afflicted by the owner of Bahria Enclave, Malik Riaz is that he is announcing this housing society and selling land without having an NOC (No Objection Certificate) which is obligatory in order to buy and sell land in Zone IV of Islamabad. A director of CDA told on condition of anonymity that CDA had not given any NOC to any housing society in Zone IV, but still Riaz announced a residential project and have been receiving heavy amounts from people in the name of plots booking. According to sources, a ban has been already imposed on construction without getting NOC or approval of Layout Plan (LOP) in Zone IV and Park Enclave is the only legal residential sector in Zone IV, but Riaz has been violating the rules. Although the CDA officials claimed that the scheme launched by Bahria Town has no NOC or approval from the authority, they seemed to be helpless in taking any action against the private developer due to his influence and connection with the ruling elite. Riaz has paid and influenced CDA officials to the extent that they will not intervene in between during his funds collection period, which means up to 20th July and might be even afterwards. He has also used his" good offices" (power corridors) to influence CDA for not objecting his NOC, just by simply submitting the lay out plans and drawings of the scheme and showing a letter number indicating it NOC (actually NOT an NOC but is a memo of some other contents addressed by the CDA to Bahria Town. The powerful man has got deleted the line of "only approved scheme in zone-IV" from CDA hoardings, and advertisements.

The second issue is the fraud behind actual location of Bahria Enclave. This has been stated by a CDA top official that the site of enclave advertised by the Bahria Town belongs to CDA. Bahria Town does not own enough land in Zone-IV where they can announce such a scheme, however they do have some land near Simly Dam . It has been reported by the people who have visited the actual location that Bahria enclave is 6 KM away from the Park enclave, which is a big thing and Malik Riaz is befooling the investors by offering that half the price, offered by CDA. Here are the original map images showing the distance between both the schemes.

Location of Park Enclave by CDA:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=33.67414&lon=73.1621647&z=15&l=0&m=b

Actual Location of Bahria Enclave:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=33.691781&lon=73.2145214&z=15&l=0&m=b

Third issue is regarding the road linking Bahria Enclave. The access road given to this scheme is just a single road. That is a big shame that Bahria has planned a society but have not still planned the access road to it and lying in its advertisements. Bahria authorities are saying that there are two options; they are thinking of presently of getting connected with Muree road from Barah Koh. I feel the people living in Islamabad realize that Barah Koh is at drive of 25 mins from Aabpara Market. The Bahria Enclave if connected through Barah Koh will additionally need 8-10 KM further drive. Second option they are looking at is to get connected through Lehtrar road from back side of Bahria Enclave via Simli Dam. This is the longest distance even more than connecting through Bara Koh. The last option available is connecting through Park Road, but CDA won't allow them and it is not even in their plan.

Some real estate experts were of the view that although Bahria Town has gained good reputation in housing, but it could not match the standard of development which the CDA offers. Bahria Town cannot provide such wide streets and roads in its scheme which the CDA has in its already developed sectors. Majority of the people believe that the future of most ambitious housing project, Park Enclave, launched by the prime minister is still bright because people have more confidence in the CDA than any other private housing scheme. They expect that now the CDA will develop a better scheme due to competition with the private builder.

Another issue is that, it is explicitly offered by property dealers that one can get guaranteed plot in Bahria Enclave. They are offering the plot numbers on the spot. This is contradiction to the balloting option. The inside story behind this fact is that Malik Riaz has floated the plots to property dealers to initiate the buying and selling for the plots so that investor can gain the confidence. The dealers are saying that plot number will be issued on the spot. Bahria Enclave has a total of 720 residential plots. Out of which 520 are of 10 marlas. This is a very handful number of plots. Malik Riaz is planning to repeat the story of what he did in case of Bahria Town Phase 6,7,8. At that time, every one's plot was announced in Phase 6 and later on shifted to far sites like Phase 7 and 8. He is also planning to do the same here. He will buy the land with the money invested from people in terms of plot applications. Every one's application will be entertained. One can now imagine that the plot will be in air even if it is announced as there is land demarcation for only 720 plots.

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