Guide
New Malir Housing Scheme: Development Status and Plot Values
By Maham Imtiaz
Real Estate AnalystVerified author
10 min read
The New Malir Housing Scheme, also called MDA Scheme-1, was announced by the Malir Development Authority in 1997 as a five-year project on about 4,000 acres off the National Highway. Nearly three decades later, it is one of Karachi's most traded plot files and one of its least delivered schemes. More than 27,000 people were allotted plots, but a report found only 231 had received physical possession, and MDA itself says electricity and gas have not been installed for lack of funds.
That gap between allotment and delivery is the central fact for any buyer. Our guide on how to verify property in Karachi explains that a plot has to exist on the ground as well as in the file, and in the New Malir Housing Scheme most allotted plots have not yet reached that stage.
This guide sets out what MDA reports about the scheme, what independent reporting and audits found, what is known about its sectors, what official values say about plot prices, and how to check a New Malir plot or file before buying.
New Malir Housing Scheme at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Official name | New Malir Housing Scheme-1 (MDA Scheme-1) |
| Authority | Malir Development Authority (MDA) |
| Announced | 1997 |
| Planned completion | Five years |
| Location | Deh Joreji, Malir, on the National Highway and the link road to the Super Highway, beside the Bin Qasim industrial zone and Education City |
| Area | About 4,000 acres |
| Sectors | Numbered 1 to 25 in public listings |
| Plot sizes | 100, 200 and 400 square yards |
| Allottees | More than 27,107 |
| Physical possession | 231 plot holders, according to a news report |
| Building approvals | SBCA |
What MDA reports
MDA's official New Malir Housing Scheme-1 page lists the scheme's progress by service.
| Service | MDA-reported status |
|---|---|
| Overall physical progress | 90% |
| Road network | 100% |
| Sewerage | 100% |
| Storm water drainage | 100% |
| Water supply | 100%, but functional only after the water corporation completes the bulk main from the Pipri filter plant, which was not finished for lack of funds |
| Electricity | Not installed, for lack of funds |
| Gas | Not installed, for lack of funds |
MDA describes the scheme as intended for low- and middle-income families, with houses of one to four bedrooms on 100- to 400-square-yard plots, commercial plots to be sold by open auction, and planned parks, schools, hospitals and a golf club.
What independent reporting found
| Finding | Detail |
|---|---|
| Possession | Only 231 of more than 27,107 allottees had received physical possession |
| Construction | Thousands of plot holders could not build because construction permission had not been granted |
| Utilities | Residents relied on boreholes or tankers for water, cylinders for gas and solar panels for power |
| Built areas | Some houses in Sectors 2 and 5 and near the main road |
| Development funds | A five-year special audit by the Auditor General found no utility facilities provided despite Rs1.38 billion allotted for development |
| Grid station | Rs353 million collected for a grid station that had not been built |
| Ownership | Many original allottees sold their plots because of the delays |
The report said 26 years had passed since the 1997 launch. MDA's director general declined to comment.
Reconciling the two pictures
| Question | MDA's page | Independent report | What a buyer should conclude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is the scheme developed? | 90% overall | Basic facilities missing | Roads and drains may exist; utilities largely do not |
| Is there water? | Network 100%, bulk supply unfinished | Boreholes and tankers | No reliable piped water yet |
| Is there power and gas? | Not installed | Solar and cylinders | None from the grid |
| Can you build? | Not stated | Permission not granted to thousands | Confirm SBCA approval is possible before buying |
Both sources agree on the core point: the scheme's internal works are largely laid, but without bulk water, electricity and gas, most plots cannot yet be lived on.
Sectors
Public listings divide the scheme into Sectors 1 to 25. MDA does not publish a sector-by-sector status list.
| Sector | What is known |
|---|---|
| 2 | Some houses built |
| 5 | Some houses built |
| Near the main road | A few houses built |
| All other sectors | No public status; most plots reported vacant |
A plot's sector decides whether it is near the few built pockets or deep in undeveloped land. Ask MDA for the sector's development status and whether any possession has been issued there.
Plot values: what official figures show
The FBR's 2024 Karachi valuation table has no separate row for the New Malir Housing Scheme. The scheme lies in Deh Joreji, Bin Qasim, and the nearest rows are:
| FBR row | Residential open plot, per sq ft | Commercial open plot, per sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Bin Qasim (Pipri, excluding Gulshan-e-Hadeed) | Rs700 | Rs1,500 |
| Malir City | Rs700 | Rs1,500 |
| Taiser Town, Gadap Town | Rs700 | Rs1,500 |
| Shah Latif Town Scheme-25 KDA | Rs500 | Rs900 |
| Gulshan-e-Hadeed | Rs1,100 | Rs4,250 |
Ask the sub-registrar which row applies before registering, since stamp duty and advance tax are calculated on it. Market prices for New Malir files and plots are quoted by dealers, not by MDA, and they vary sharply by sector, possession status and whether dues are clear.
What drives a New Malir plot's real value
| Factor | Effect on value |
|---|---|
| Possession taken | Highest; one of very few plots buildable |
| Allotment letter, possession not issued | Lower; a claim on future development |
| Dues outstanding | Lower by the amount due, plus risk of cancellation |
| Sector near built-up areas or main road | Higher |
| Sector deep inside undeveloped land | Lower |
| Resold many times | Higher risk of a broken transfer chain |
Our guide to files, plots and possession land explains why a buyer should value a plot by what has been delivered, not by what the file promises.
How to verify a New Malir plot or file
- Confirm MDA holds the file and get the allotment number, sector, plot number and size.
- Check the transfer chain. Many plots have changed hands; every transfer should be recorded by MDA.
- Ask for a dues statement, including any grid station or development charges.
- Ask whether possession has been issued for the plot and the sector.
- Visit the plot with MDA's demarcation and confirm it is vacant and accessible.
- Check utilities on site: water, electricity and gas.
- Ask SBCA whether a building plan can be approved for the plot.
- Search for court cases involving the sector or MDA's land in Deh Joreji.
Our guide to the Malir and Lyari development authorities explains how MDA's offices and records are organised.
What the numbers show: Milkiyat.com findings
Less than 1% of allottees had possession. 231 ÷ 27,107 = about 0.85%.
The scheme is more than two decades behind schedule. Planned for five years from 1997, it was due by 2002: 2026 − 2002 = 24 years overdue.
Development funds averaged about Rs51,000 per allotted plot. Rs1.38 billion ÷ 27,107 = about Rs50,900.
The grid station money equals about Rs13,000 per allottee. Rs353 million ÷ 27,107 = about Rs13,000 on average.
On the Bin Qasim rate, a 100-yard plot is worth Rs630,000 on paper. 100 square yards = 900 square feet × Rs700 = Rs630,000. A 400-yard plot: 3,600 × Rs700 = Rs2.52 million.
MDA's plot totals point to about 26,000 plots here. MDA says its three schemes hold about 125,000 residential plots. Taiser Town (78,391) plus Shah Latif Town (20,582) = 98,973, leaving about 26,027 for the New Malir Housing Scheme, close to the 27,107 allottees reported.
About seven allottees per acre. 27,107 ÷ 4,000 acres = about 6.8 allottees per acre of total scheme area.
Checklist before you pay
| Check | Where |
|---|---|
| Allotment in the seller's name | MDA |
| Every transfer recorded | MDA |
| Dues statement, including utility charges | MDA |
| Possession order and demarcation | MDA |
| Plot vacant and accessible | Site visit |
| Water, power and gas on site | Site visit and utilities |
| Building plan possible | SBCA |
| FBR valuation row for registration | Sub-registrar |
Frequently asked questions
Q1. What is the New Malir Housing Scheme?
A. A Malir Development Authority scheme, also called MDA Scheme-1, announced in 1997 on about 4,000 acres in Deh Joreji off the National Highway.
Q2. Is the New Malir Housing Scheme developed?
A. MDA reports 90% overall progress with roads, sewerage and drainage complete, but says electricity and gas are not installed and bulk water supply is unfinished.
Q3. How many allottees have possession?
A. A news report put the number at 231 out of more than 27,107 allottees.
Q4. What plot sizes are available?
A. 100, 200 and 400 square yards, with commercial plots to be sold by auction.
Q5. What is the official value of a New Malir plot?
A. The FBR table has no separate row for the scheme. Nearby Bin Qasim and Malir City rows value residential open plots at Rs700 per square foot. Confirm the applicable row with the sub-registrar.
Q6. Can I build a house there?
A. Only after possession and an SBCA-approved plan. Reports said thousands of plot holders had not been granted construction permission, so confirm with SBCA first.
Q7. Is MDA allotting new plots in the scheme?
A. MDA told the Sindh High Court in 2024 that it has no land for fresh allocation. Treat any "new booking" offer with caution.
This guide is for general information. Scheme status, dues and procedures change, and buyers should verify every allotment, possession order and approval directly with MDA, SBCA and a qualified lawyer before paying.