ISLAMABAD: Two years after removing a large informal settlement, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) started development work on I-11/1 and has now completed 60pc of the work.

The CDA had in July-August 2015 evicted thousands of people from I-11 and had faced a lot of criticism for it. The land had been allotted to various people in the 90s who could not be given possession of developed plots due to the illegal settlement.

The civic agency had not been able to start development work in the two years since the settlement was removed. Only last month did the CDA start development work.

`We will complete the development work in the next few months,` said Member Engineering Asad Mehboob Kayani.

He said the development project is worth Rs86 million and that 60pc of the work has been completed.

He said there will be no more delays in the development of this sub-sector as those allotted plots there have already had to wait for long, adding that development work in other stalled sectors will also be started soon.

Though it has received millions of rupees from citizens, the CDA has not yet developed several residential sectors including I-12, I-15 and E-12. Owners of over 4,000 residential plots in E-12 have been waiting for possession of their plots for 27 years. An of ficial from the CDA`s engineering wing said initial development work in I-11 will likely be completed by the end of May.

The CDA removed one of the largest illegal settlements from I-11 in 2015 and earned a lot of criticism for the act.

Critics said the civic agency had made thousands of people homeless and had not provided alternate housing.

The Awami Workers Party petitioned in the Supreme Court later, asking for the provision of low cost housing for slum dwellers.