November 16, 2008	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 17, 1429

KARACHI, Nov 15: The Defence Housing Authority has planned to chalk out a master plan early next year for a new housing project to be developed on a piece of land astride the Super Highway.

The first balloting for the allotment of land is scheduled for November next year as the process of survey and demarcation of land acquired by the DHA astride the Super Highway from the Sindh government has gained momentum after vacation of stay by the High Court of Sindh.

A briefing on the project was given to the DHA governing body during its annual meeting, presided over by Defence Secretary Lieutenant-General (retired) Syed Athar Ali who is also chairman of the body, on Saturday.

Besides reviewing the development projects and policy matters, the governing body also approved annual budget of the DHA for the fiscal year 2008-2009. A record sum of Rs9 billion has been earmarked in the budget for various development projects this year.

Last year, an amount of Rs2.2 billion was spent on laying a new storm water drainage system in developed phases of DHA. Officials concerned were directed to complete the rehabilitation of roads damaged due to drainage works in the area on a priority basis.

The administrator assured the meeting that reconstruction work would be completed in a phased manner on a fast-track basis.

The meeting was informed that 12 blocks of the Creek Vista apartments, the country’s biggest high-rise complex located in Defence Phase-VIII would be handed over to the allottees according to a scheduled programme till May 2009.

Lt-Gen (retd) Athar Ali directed the housing authority to address all the grey areas, including security, garbage collection and cleanliness in Defence, with a reinvigorated approach.

He asked the DHA to take pragmatic measures to ensure that the stalled waterfront projects take off quickly thus giving impetus to the economic activity in the country.

Desalination plant

The governing body was also informed about the closure of Defence power and desalination plant for want of repairs for the last one month and assured that the damaged central shaft of gas turbine was being replaced after which the plant would resume its operation by the first week of next month.

The meeting was informed that infrastructural development of DHA Phase-VIII based on the revised master plan was under way. The governing body directed DHA officials to adopt a renewed strategy with a view to expedite development of maximum areas which could be opened for construction activity at the earliest.

Earlier, DHA Administrator Brig Khalid Tirmizi presented the progress report and reiterated that the housing authority was taking proactive measures to improve civic amenities.—PPI