Way paved for NHA employees to build homes

Government officials hailing from any department naturally desire to have their own home to complete a long span of services. Such desire is based on a sense of security for their family members. The housing policy of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Imran Khan, also reflects on realizing this dream of Government servants. To implement this constructive and developmental vision of the government, the concerned departments are engaged to achieve this objective. In such a state of affairs, the employees of National Highway Authority have also received an opportunity for having a sigh of relief as Secretary National Highway Foundation Mr Arbab Ali announced to start development work on its housing scheme for employees of Ministry of Communications, National Highway Authority and National Highways & Motorway Police.

It is to recall that this long-awaited development work was delayed due to lack of funds and fulfilling of official formalities. This is undoubtedly great good news for about 2000 employees of the Ministry of Communications, National Highway Authority and the National Highways & Motorway Police.

To this effect, the Annual General Body meeting of the National Highway Foundation was held in the chair of Mr Arbab Ali, attended by Members of the Board of Directors and plot holders at large. The participants of the meeting were told that NHF started working on a housing scheme in 2003. However, 2550 Kanal land was acquired in 2005, transferred in the name of NHF in 2013 through Deputy commissioners of twin cities. On completion of requirements, approval for the Lay Out plan of Housing Scheme was obtained from Capital Development Authority. The CDA also sought observations, if any, from the masses through advertisement in the press. However, no observation was received from any quarter. It needs to be clarified that the membership fee was utilized for the purchase of land. And required funds for development work could not be arranged then, which caused a delay to realization of the housing project.

Further, In 2018, The NHF invited proposals for development work on Public-Private Partnership basis, but no encouraging development was made. But now, the NHF has awarded the contract for undertaking development work of this housing scheme to a renowned developer, which has paved the way for plot holders to build their own homes.

This is an accepted fact that several difficulties arise during the implementation of such projects. The NHF has also passed through such complications during the long processes of Housing Projects, which took months time period.

Availability of a home, small or big, seems a basic right of every citizen. The recent practical advancement of the NHF is a great achievement for the welfare of the NHA employees, for which Secretary NHF Mr. Arbab Ali and all members of the Board of Directors deserve congratulations. This attempt will surely enable grade 1 to 20 of MOC, NHA and NH&MP to have their own homes. (BY: Gohar Zaman Babar).

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