Use for commercial purposes: CDA cancels allotment of 11 residential plots since 2007

[Naveed Yaseen]

* 674 cases sent to CDA deputy commissioner for legal action

By Fazal Sher

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) canceled the allotment of 11 residential plots, which were used for commercial purposes, since 2007.

During the said period, 674 such cases were also sent to the CDA deputy commissioner for legal action, it’s learnt.

Under the Islamabad Residential Sectors’ Zoning Regulation, 2005, commercial activity can’t be initiated in housing units.

According to a CDA official, the Building Control Structure (BCS) Directorate found out during a recent survey that around 795 houses in the residential areas were being used for commercial purposes.

Of them, 329 were used as the offices of private and government organisations, 255 as schools, 124 as beauty polours and clinics, and 87 as guesthouses and four as restaurants.

The directorate later began a crackdown on the owners and occupants of such housing units. It imposed heavy fine on 87 people, got 105 such houses vacated and sent 447 cases to its deputy commissioner.

Twenty-seven owners of houses moved the court putting action against the action on hold.

The official said previously, non-conforming use of houses was witnessed in the city’s posh areas but the activity was on the rise in the low-scale areas too.

He said strict enforcement of building laws by the CDA could stop use of houses for commercial purposes.

He said under the law, allotment of houses where commercial activity was underway could be cancelled.

The official said commercial activity in residential units was a reason for housing shortage and high rent of houses.

He said commercial organisations secured houses on high rent but this led to the misery of people from low-income groups.