The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board building and the plaques displaying the names of the founders. PHOTOS: AGHA MEHROZE/EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI:
The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), which has been running a comprehensive campaign to increase revenue and collect dues, has incurred a loss of Rs41.1 million in commercialization fees.
Owners of a property allegedly used for illegal commercial purposes deposited only Rs 2,790,595. instead of the required Rs.43,891,512. as commercialization fee and obtained an eviction order from a court through other co-owners.
According to sources, the property located on Peshawar Road covers 50.64 marlas of land and houses a large private educational institution. The Cantonment Board issued a notice to the property owner for illegal commercial use and ordered them to deposit Rs 43,891,512. as a commercialization fee.
But instead of completing the commercialization of the entire property, some officials of the cantonment board reportedly collected only Rs2,790,594 as commercialization fee for 24 marlas of land.
This move enabled the property owners to approach the court regarding the remaining commercialization fee of around Rs 41.1 million. They subsequently obtained an injunction against recovery of the remaining amount, depriving the Cantonment Board of immediate receipt of a large amount.
Sources say the case appears to have been settled through collusion, as commercialization of a property with a single CB number is usually done once for the entire land area and built-up structure, regardless of the number of owners.
In this case only the amount for 24 marlas was charged even though the full commercialization fee was assessed and a notice was issued to that effect. The remaining portion of the property of 50.40 marla was not commercialized, enabling the owners to seek relief from the court.
When contacted, a senior officer of the Cantonment Board confirmed that the full commercialization fee could not be recovered. He added that the case regarding the remaining recoverable fee is now pending before the court and further recovery will depend on the court’s decision.
