ISLAMABAD: A department of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) has framed new rules and fees for relocating the graves that come in the way of urban development in the federal capital territory.

Henceforth, a request to remove a grave from a project area to the H-11 graveyard will cost the CDA Rs9,200 and private developers or individuals Rs20,000, according to the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA).

There was no fixed charge for the job until now. It used to be worked out on caseby-case basis.

`We have been facing humiliation and issues regarding shifting of graves,` director DMA, Capt (retired) Shahbaz Tahir, told Dawn.

`We have framed new Standard Operating Procedures to avoid beingunfairly blamed by the CDA, which often alleged that non-removal of graves had stalled or delayed its development projects. That was not true,` he said.

The DMA communicated the new SOPs to the acting chairman of CDA, Sheikh Ansar Aziz, who also heads the MCI as Mayor of Islamabad, in a letter on January 19.

Retired Capt Tahir made it clear that all upcoming shifting of hundreds of graves from sector I-11 will be dealt under the new SOP. `Before, this SOP, there was no fixed charge for relocating graves,` he said.

It is said that several CDA project, like the construction of Margalla Avenue and development in some pockets of sector D-12, having graves at work sites, are held up because offaultyplanning.

`While planning development of sectors, roads and other project, the CDA should keep existing graveyards in view, said an official of DMA, requesting ano-nymity.

Indeed, the January 19 DMA letter to the CDA reminded that the Environment Directorate was responsible for maintenance and fencing of old graveyards scattered in acquired areas of the capital.

`DMA only assists and provide services for shifting of graves on the request of the concerned directorate organization, which is handling any project. It is their responsibility to complete all formalities and basic requirements before approaching the DMA for shifting of graves,` it added.

It also informed the CDA that the DMA graveyard section can relocate three to five graves in a day. `Cost and capacity of the DMA must be kept in mind while planning the project, which involves any shifting of gr aves,` the letter said.

It may be recalled that during the construction of Metro Bus Track, the DMA shif ted 22 graves from Sector I-8 which had been blocking the construction work.