Islamabad: Misuse of residences continues

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Fazal Sher
ISLAMABAD: Despite strict directives of a subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to implement a ban of commercial use of residential houses.

The committee has directed the CDA last month in a meeting to take immediate action against illegal use of residential houses and present a progress report in this connection in the next meeting. But the CDA has not yet issued a single warning notice or cancelled allotment of any violator, a CDA official told Daily Times on Tuesday.

He said illegal use of residential houses was increasing due to negligence of the CDA, aggravating accommodation problems and creating security risks. During the subcommittee’s meeting, he said the CDA’s member estate gave a presentation on commercial use of residential buildings and assured the participants that violators would not be tolerated.

He said a survey conducted by the CDA Building Control Structure Directorate revealed that around 795 residential houses were being misused for commercial purposes: 325 have become offices of various organisation, 87 guesthouses, four restaurants, 255 schools and 124 beauty parlours and clinics.

According to Islamabad Residential Sectors Zoning (Building Control Regulation 2005), non-conforming use of residential houses in the capital is banned and the CDA is entitled to fine the violators.

The official added that the CDA had the authority to cancel allotment of plots if the violators continued to violate the laws after three months of issue of warning notices. To regain the allotment, he said the violators would have to pay the fine and give a written assurance that they would not do this again.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg11_3