* Contractor says work has been slowed down due to ban on dumpers’ entry to city
* Hopes development of two sub-sectors will be completed in a couple of weeks and others by December

ISLAMABAD: The development of much-delayed residential sector D-12 is being hampered after the security has been put on high alert banning entry of dumpers in the federal capital carrying construction material and heavy machinery.

The sector was opened in 1988 and the development work was started in 2003 but it was suspended following a clash between Islamabad Police and the locals over evacuation issue, claiming some lives as well.

The development work resumed in January this year and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had committed to give possession of plots to the allottees in first week of July but it seems difficult as work on some roads and pipelines is yet to be done.

“Almost 90 percent of development has been completed. The work has been slowed down due to ban on dumpers’ entry in the city. We are receiving just five to seven dumpers a day against the demand of 40,” said Mir Ahmed, the contractor of sector D-12.

He said only the dumpers carrying security pass were allowed entry in the city. He said one has to pass through a cumbersome procedure to get a security pass. Ahmed said he would soon approach the Cabinet Division secretary to resolve the matter.

However, the contractor hoped that it would not take more than a month to complete the development of two sub-sectors while the development of rest two sub-sectors would be completed by December as some pockets were yet to be acquired.

The contract for the project was awarded to M/s Mohammed Ayub & Brothers against Rs 520 million, which was later escalated to Rs 900 million, for what a CDA official said was done owing to excessive price hike of steel, construction material as well as labour cost.

He said non-acquisition of land in sectors D-12/2 and D-12/4 was causing a huge loss, as huge quantity of pipes and construction material were lying useless as the occupants were resisting CDA move to evacuate the land.

According to a senior CDA official, the Authority was striving for amicable solution to the compensation issue, as some of the occupants were demanding compensation more than the package announced by the civic body.

He said the authority would start giving possession to the allottees soon after the completion of development work expected within a couple of weeks. app