The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is implementing stringent measures against private schools and colleges located in residential areas, warning of closure if the structures are not regularized within the next 15 days.
The Supreme Court had initially set a three-year deadline, which has already expired, for the relocation of 8,500 private educational institutions from residential areas within 44 Cantonment Boards nationwide, including 229 establishments in the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board.
This move was prompted by concerns raised by parents regarding the presence of these institutions in residential areas.
The Cantonment authorities argue that the presence of private educational institutions is disrupting the peace of residential neighborhoods, resulting in problems such as cleanliness issues, traffic congestion, pollution, and security concerns.
The Supreme Court had set a three-year deadline from 2019 to December 2021 for private schools and colleges to relocate from residential areas within cantonment board regions across the country.
In a recent development, the RDA has decided to extend the deadline until the upcoming academic year, starting in March, in response to legal actions against illegal educational institutions.
The Land Use and Building Control Wing of the RDA has chosen to grant an extension to allow school owners to continue educational activities without disruptions during the current academic year.
The RDA stressed that school owners must immediately regularize their schools or cease illegal use of buildings, and administrators are required to submit an affidavit within 15 days, committing to complying with the law.
Building owners failing to meet the deadline will face a fine of Rs1,000 for each day beyond the stipulated 15-day period.
