Check a Rawalpindi Housing Scheme on RDA's Lists: 78 Approved, 610 Illegal

Before you pay for a plot in Rawalpindi, open the Rawalpindi Development Authority's two lists at rda.gop.pk/ahs and rda.gop.pk/ihs. On 19 October 2026 the approved list held 78 schemes and the illegal list held 610. The page is free, needs no login, and RDA says it is the only version to trust: it warns that fake screenshots of the page circulate on social media.

Rawalpindi has more illegal schemes on its list than Lahore does. LDA shows 383 illegal entries; RDA shows 610. We read both RDA pages on 19 October 2026 and pulled the full lists from the site's own data feed to count them. The approved list was last changed on 14 October 2026, when Aamin Housing One in Bajnial was marked as holding a final NOC over 224.03 kanals.

RDA lists 78 approved and 610 illegal schemes, and the status wording matters

Being on the approved list is not one thing. RDA writes a status line for each scheme, and the lines range from a final NOC to a town planning approval with the transfer and mortgage deed still pending. Read the line, not just the green banner.

By our count, 10 of the 78 approved entries say a final NOC or final sanction has been issued. Most of the rest say "town planning approved" and then add a bracket such as "transfer and mortgage deed is pending" or "under process". Two entries on the approved page say the opposite of approval: the Utility Cooperative Employees Housing Society in Manga and the Rawalpindi Railway Employees Cooperative Housing Society in Lohi Bher both read "final sanction is not granted".

The same brand name can sit on both lists

Several large names appear on the approved page for one block and on the illegal page for another. The scheme's name on a brochure is not enough. You need the block, the mouza and the kanal figure to match the approved entry.

Taj Residencia in Kaak holds a final NOC over 224 kanals. Its Blue Bell, Cosmos and Lotus blocks are on the illegal list, and its 2,200 kanal extension is "under process". Capital Smart City is approved over 7,376 kanals in Chahan, while Capital Smart City Phase II and Capital Smart City Extension on Chakri Road are illegal. Bahria Town Phase VIII is approved, but Bahria Town Phase VIII Extension in Mouza Dhara and Bahria Town Phase IX in Lari Miana are not. Al Haram City Phase 1 is approved; Al Haram City Phase II in Habtaal is illegal.

One oddity: Lake Vista Residencia in Dhok Abdullah appears on the approved page, but its own status line says it was approved by TMA Potohar Town, is advertised illegally as Rawal City, and is "illegal". Treat the status line as the answer.

Chakri Road has the most illegal entries

Of the 610 illegal entries, 131 name Chakri Road in their location, more than any other road. Many are land sub-divisions or farm house projects rather than named societies. Taxila appears 13 times and Kallar Syedan 12 times.

Our keyword count puts 62 of the illegal entries as land sub-divisions and 51 as farm house projects. The rest are named housing schemes. Names on the illegal list that are marketed widely include Blue World City, Rudn Enclave, New Metro City, Park View City Rawalpindi (listed with its old name, Mega City Gujjar Khan), Faisal Town Phase II, Airport Town and Islamabad Green City. The newest addition we found is Fazaia Housing Scheme Tarnol in Mouza Vanni, Taxila, added on 10 September 2026.

RDA's news page also records show cause notices to Taj Residencia and Saffron City on 17 September 2026 for illegal marketing. Saffron City in Karpal is on the approved page with "LOP approved", which shows that an approved layout does not stop RDA acting on marketing outside it.

How to check a Rawalpindi scheme in five minutes

Search both lists by name, then match the mouza and the area. If the scheme says it is approved by PHATA, RDA tells you to confirm with PHATA directly. For a scheme inside Punjab but outside RDA's area, use the Punjab housing society check instead.

1. Open rda.gop.pk/ahs and type the scheme's name in the search box. Note the mouza and kanal figure in its status line.
2. Open rda.gop.pk/ihs and search the same name. Look for blocks, phases or extensions listed as illegal.
3. Ask the dealer which mouza and khasra your plot sits in, and compare it with the approved entry.
4. If the status says a transfer or mortgage deed is pending, ask the sponsor for the date it expects the final NOC.
5. Ask for the plot's Green Property Certificate. RDA's news page carries a notice that this certificate is the only legal proof of ownership in a housing scheme. The steps for a PLRA Green Property Certificate are the same across Punjab.

RDA's main number is 051-5555662 and complaints go through cms.rda.gop.pk. If a sponsor has already taken your money, the process for a complaint against a builder to RDA starts with that portal.

New schemes now apply through the HSMS portal

Since 24 September 2026, RDA has published the document checklist that a sponsor must upload to the Housing Society Management System at hsms.punjab-zameen.gov.pk before RDA will process an approval. A scheme that has not entered that system has not started the approval process.

The checklist, Handout 77/2026, begins with a KML boundary file and the town planner's PCATP registration certificate. RDA also issued a public notice in August 2026 and another in February 2026 about unauthorised housing, sub-division and agro farming schemes in the district. Both are on the Downloads page. The Lahore version of this exercise, on LDA's approved and illegal lists, works the same way.

Common questions about RDA's approved and illegal lists

How many housing schemes does RDA list as approved?

78 on 19 October 2026. The number changes; the list was updated on 3 and 14 October 2026.

How many schemes are on RDA's illegal list?

610 on 19 October 2026, including 62 land sub-divisions and 51 farm house projects by our count.

Is Bahria Town Rawalpindi approved by RDA?

Several Bahria Town phases are on the approved list, including Phase VIII over 11,545.85 kanals. Bahria Town Phase VIII Extension, Phase IX and Bahria Town Dhagal are on the illegal list.

Is Capital Smart City approved?

RDA shows Capital Smart City approved over 7,376 kanals in Chahan. Capital Smart City Phase II and Capital Smart City Extension are on the illegal list.

What does "transfer and mortgage deed is pending" mean?

RDA has approved the town planning but the sponsor has not completed the deeds that secure land to the authority. Several entries say a bank guarantee was accepted in place of the mortgage deed.

Can I trust a screenshot of the RDA list?

No. RDA's own page says not to rely on screenshots circulated on social media and to check the page in real time.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 19 October 2026. The counts, names, locations and status lines come from RDA's approved housing societies page and RDA's illegal housing societies page, read on 19 October 2026 together with the full lists behind them. The HSMS checklist and the show cause notices come from RDA's news and downloads pages, read the same day. The 10 final NOC entries, the 131 Chakri Road entries and the sub-division and farm house counts are our own counts from the lists. We did not visit any scheme or contact RDA.