The annual meeting of the Governing Body of DHA Karachi, which was held here on Saturday to review the development projects and other policy matters of DHA at macro level. Secretary Defence, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Athar Ali who is also Chairman Governing Body presided the meeting, says a press release. The Board was informed that the process of survey and demarcation of land acquired by DHA astride Super Highway from Sindh government has gained momentum after vacation of stay by the High Court.
The master planning of the new DHA-II being developed as a model satellite town would start in early next year and the first balloting for allotment of land to the allotees has been scheduled tentatively in November next year. Secretary Defence directed the DHA to address the grey areas of 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. The Governing Body (GB) was informed that DHA spent an amount of Rs2.2 billion last year on laying a new storm water drainage system in developed phases of DHA on war footing. The GB directed the DHA to complete the rehabilitation of roads damaged due to drainage works in the area on top priority.
Administrator DHA informed the meeting that the work of reconstruction of damaged roads would be completed under a phased programme on a fast track basis in this fiscal year. The GB was intimated that the DHA’s Power and Desalination plant is closed for the last one month due to a major technical fault in the central shaft of gas turbine. The damaged shaft is being replaced by Siemens Germany and the plant would resume its operation by the first week of December this year.
The Governing Body also approved DHA’s annual budget for the fiscal year 2008-2009. A record sum of approximately nine billion rupees has been earmarked in the budget for various development projects this year.
The meeting was informed that infrastructural development of DHA Phase-VIII was underway based on the revised Master Plan. The GB directed DHA to adopt a renewed strategy with a view to expedite development of maximum areas which could be opened for construction activity at the earliest. The Governing Body was informed that 12 blocks of Creek Vistas apartments, the biggest high rise complex of the country located in Ph-VIII would be handed over to the allotees according to a scheduled programme between the end of December 2008 to May 2009.
Earlier Administrator DHA, Brig. Khalid Tirmizi presented the progress report and reiterated that Housing Authority is taking proactive measures to improve civic amenities and the work culture in DHA.
