Rise in unplanned settlements: Cabinet directs CDA to ensure proper town planning

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Amendment to ICT Zoning Regulations 1992 Okayed
* Approval accorded to Zone-III development plan subject to clearance by the Cabinet Committee

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet, which met here on Wednesday with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair, took note of the mushroom growth of unplanned settlements in the country, especially in the federal capital, and directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the provincial governments to ensure proper town planning.

Before formally initiating action against illegal and ill-planned colonies, the cabinet decided to sensitise the people to town planning through seminars.

In pursuance of the directions of the Supreme Court in suo moto case No 10 of 2007, the cabinet approved Amendment to Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Zoning Regulations 1992. These amendments relate to specific changes in the land use of Zone-IV.

The Cabinet also accorded approval, in principle, to a similar plan of Zone-III subject to clearance by the Cabinet Committee comprising Ministers for Interior, Housing and Works and Law and Justice. The cabinet directed CDA to inform the landowners and general public through print and electronic media about the proper use of land under its territory.

The cabinet also directed CDA to ensure that no constructions are made in the CDA territory against the law and regulations.

Hotel project: The poor management and inefficient working on the part of Capital Development Authority (CDA) has jeopardized the fate of a 47-storey five star hotel for failure to get No Objection Certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), APP reported on Wednesday.

The five star hotel Grand Hyatt is being constructed in no-flying zone in the federal capital and any plan for high-rise building is subject to the approval from the CAA.

According to an audit report (2009-10) of the Auditor General of Pakistan, the Directorate of Buildings Control of the CDA approved the building plan worth of Rs 4.8 billion project without obtaining the NOC.

The report states that maximum height after subtracting the height of Aerodrome could be up to 330 feet in such projects, which is not ideal in the said project.

The report also quoted a letter of November 10, 2009, written to CDA carrying objection to the abnormal height of up to 711 feet.

The contents of letter only allowed a conditional height up to 330 feet with the condition that a NOC from Directorate of Air Traffic Services Air Headquarters of Pakistan Air Force must be obtained before starting work.

The audit report also claimed that stoppage of construction work due to faulty building plan for extra ordinary height without NOC from CAA was not only a financial loss due to stoppage of installments agreed but also discourage investors due to CDA mismanagement.

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