CDA urges building owners to renew property lease to boost revenue
10-10-2024
Islamabad: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has called on building owners to renew their property leases as part of a strategy to enhance the civic body’s revenue, as reported on October 9. Read: CDA signs accord for afforestation projects covering 700 acres As per details, this decision comes after reports indicated that hundreds of lease renewals have been pending, with many property owners neglecting to engage with the CDA for years. In addition to commercial properties, numerous agro farms and government buildings, including Punjab House, Balochistan House, KP House (recently sealed for violations), and Gilgit-Baltistan House, have had expired leases for several years. Despite this, the CDA has yet to take action to address these expired agreements. Sources suggest that the CDA could significantly increase its revenue through lease renewals, a concern previously highlighted by the Auditor General of Pakistan. During a recent meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa, the financial standing and revenue generation of the authority were reviewed. Randhawa directed officials to issue notices to all public and private leaseholders with expired agreements, emphasising the need for oversight from the Finance Wing to ensure revenue targets are met this fiscal year. Read: Belarus keen on working with CDA in acquiring electric buses The meeting also addressed issues related to electricity supply in Park Enclave II and III, and decisions regarding defaulter allotments were expedited. Additionally, the Planning Wing was instructed to prioritise the resolution of pending commercialization cases to streamline CDA operations.