Ten housing projects that should have added 66,000 new homes in Kabul are mired in problems.
The projects conceived by Kabul Municipality have been at a standstill for many years. In some cases legal issues have come in the way of estemlak (possession). All the 65,888 units have been sold to private buyers, but only 33,034 have so far been handed over.
Killid investigated the progress of some of the municipality’s residential projects in Ahmad Shah Baba, Chehel Dukhtaran, Khushal Mena, Qala Zaman Khan, Rahman Mena, Khair Khana, Dasht Barchi, Ghaibi Baba and two developments in the west and north of the airport.
Some 20,000 people have paid for plots to build homes but in many cases all they have are the ownership documents. Some claim that they have paid the money to Kabul Municipality but are yet to get the papers, which are as good as worthless as long as possession is not given because of interference by land mafia and other powerful vested interests.
Officials in Kabul municipality say that the process of releasing plots embroiled in dispute has started, and it will soon be handed over to those who have ownership documents.
Acting mayor Abdullah Habibzai has declared “estemlak” his priority, and the municipality has started with the Qala Zaman Khan project to find a “suitable” solution through negotiations with people.
Mohammad Aref Omarkhil, head of lands distribution in properties presidency of Kabul Municipality, says that the authorities, keeping public interest in mind, aim to ensure people’s rights are protected and the land they own on paper is made theirs. The municipality intends to sort out what is private and what are public lands; and, also, launch new projects for the purpose of giving plots to those that have documents of ownership.
Kabul-resident Abdul Rahim Safai purchased a plot of land in the Ahmad Shababa residential area from Kabul Municipality. He says plot owners like him have also paid for civic services. For instance, Safai says he paid 1,050 USD for the latter service to Kabul Municipality. While Nejatullah, another person, says he has deposited the money for both the price of land and city services in account number 250207 of Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB). There are hundreds of Safais and Nejatullahs in Kabul.
Head of lands’ distribution Omarkhil confirms the money has been received, and entered in Kabul Municipality accounts. He promises that the payment will be honoured, and land will be allotted for possession.
The sale price of plots varies according to the project. For example, residential plots in the Qala Zaman Khan project cost 435,000 Afs (6,475 USD) while the price of a plot in Ahmad Shahbaba is 189,000 Afs (2,813 USD). The authorities in Kabul Municipality would not give details about the total amount of money received from people. Killid estimates the municipality has collected millions of Afghanis from applicants for plots in housing projects.
Mohammad Aslam Akrami, former financial and administrative deputy of Kabul Municipality, says the municipality sought to return the money to people who had purchased the land but not got possession. However, people refused to take their money back. According to Akrami, even now, anyone who can show even a temporary certificate of ownership can get a refund. He says the municipality has not been able to find alternative land for applicants.
Ahmad Shahbaba
The distribution of residential plots in this project started in 1982. Of the project’s 23,661 plots 15,361 have been distributed to those possessing documents of ownership. The remaining plots are caught in dispute over ownership. Powerful individuals have resorted to land grabbing. In addition, some plots have also not been taken possession because of lack of access since roads have not been cut out.
West and north of airport
All the 1,484 plots in the development west of Kabul airport that started in 2002 are under dispute. The project north of the airport that was rolled out four years later has, however, been far more successful. Nearly all the 11,039 plots have been handed over to owners. But 852 plots are being fought over by the Ministry of Defence and Lego Global, a private company.
Chehel Dokhtaran
While plot distribution began in 2003, a little over a quarter of the 9,305 plots have been handed over to owners. The delay in this problem is mainly because of land grabbing by “powerful people” who have the power to disrupt the plans of Kabul Municipality.
Khushal Mena
Launched in 2003, there are 660 residential plots in part D of the development. The plot owners have already built houses.
Qala Zaman Khan
Unclear ownership titles have meant that 5,900 of the 7,600 plot owners have not been able to take possession. No attempt has been made so far to clarify either ownership or whether it is public or private. The project is from 1992.
Rahman Mena
Work on the distribution of plots started in 1988 and the project has been delayed by conflict. Of the 6,399 plots 5,776 are caught in conflict. The project has attempted to build up green areas.
Khair Khana
From 1994, only 700 houses have been built in the project that envisions 2,032. The development is on land that is claimed by local people as common lands and pasture for their livestock.
Dasht Barchi
While distribution of 2,887 plots started in 2007, an astounding 2,314 have been “grabbed by powerful people”.
Ghaibi Baba
Again so-called powerful people have hindered the implementation of this housing project which started in 2014 with the promise of allotting 821 plots. While 658 plots have been distributed so far – plots have been taken over by “powerful” who do not have “authentic documents”.
Omarkhil, head of lands distribution in properties presidency of Kabul Municipality, says the current problems are inherited from former managers of the municipality.
What the former authorities say?
Mohammad Yunus, a former mayor of Kabul, says that before him 23,000 plots were distributed on paper by his predecessors in different projects even though they were not in physical possession of the land or the land did not exist. There is no evidence of estemlak (possession) of one plot, he adds.
In an interview with Killid, Yunus said he “tried a lot” to distribute land to the deserving. He managed to hand over possession to roughly one thousand holders of ownership titles.
He claims he gave plots in Ahmadshah Mena project after verifying the documents.
Another former official, Nawandesh, says he and his colleagues could do nothing during their term. For instance, regarding the project of Ahmad Shahbaba, there was no land with the municipality but former officials had allotted it to people on paper. “We faced a fait accompli,” he says.
The Kabul Municipality has a “problem that cannot be easily resolved,” he says.