CDA Housing Project
<i>Allotment of plots within a month likely </i>
The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is likely to start allotment of plots under its largest-ever housing project in the Ananya Residential Area within a month.
A patch of land acquired for Bakharabad Gas System Limited (BGSL) and a few pieces of private land in the project area delayed the process of land acquisition, making the implementation of Tk 300 crore housing project uncertain.
The district administration sent the matter to the land ministry for instructions before acquisition and handing over of the land to CDA, raising concern among some 5200 applicants, who got a total deposit money of Tk 220 crore blocked in the project.
They submitted application forms in October last year for 1521 plots in Ananya R/A being developed on 174 acres of land beside the under-construction Oxygen-Quaish Road, sources said.
The district administration has resumed the acquisition of land after having clearance from the land ministry last week while CDA is preparing to hold open lottery for allotment of plots within a month, sources added.
Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Shamim said the have resumed the land acquisition process after having clearance from the land ministry to hand over the land to CDA.
Tajul Islam, assistant deputy commissioner (Land Acquisition), said they will issue public notice to pay compensation money to the affected people due to acquisition of land within a day or two. He said land will be handed over to CDA within a week.
Tajul said 0.79 acres of BGSL land and few pieces of private land will be excluded from the CDA housing project as per instructions of the ministry.
In the meantime, CDA paid about Tk 194.45 crore, including service charge of Tk 15 crore, to the district administration on October 9 for acquisition of 169 acres of land.
Earlier, the administration handed over some 52 acres of land to CDA.
Delay in plot allotment process created resentment among the applicants, who deposited Tk 4 lakh to Tk 5 lakh for the plots, while many of them were also thinking of withdrawing the applications.
They said in case of loosing plots in lottery the delay will mean financial loss to them since enrolment of the deposited money could have earned them some profit every month.
They said the deposited money (amounting to Tk 220 crore) could have earned at least Tk 2 crore as interest a month if it were saved in banks.
In this regard CDA sources said delay in acquisition and handing over of land by the administration slowed down plot allotment process that could be completed by November.
CDA Chairman Shah Muhammad Akhteruddin said they are quite aware of the growing concern of the applicants and making efforts to complete the plot allotment process as early as possible.
He said they will hold lottery for allotment of the plots within a month if they get possession of the acquired land.
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