Construction of up to 50-storey buildings in Islamabad okayed

[Salman]

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has reached an agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for the construction of high-rise buildings up to 50 storeys in the metropolis.

CDA Chairman Farkhand Iqbal termed the agreement a major breakthrough for future vertical development of Islamabad with minimum use of land.

As per agreement between the CDA and CAA, the permitted height of buildings would range between 150 and 550 feet that varies at different locations. It means that developers would be able to construct up to 50-storey buildings.

currently, The Centaurus, an under-construction high-rise project, which comprise four skyscrapers, including 41-storey seven-star hotel, is the highest structure in the federal capital. The structure of three towers of offices and residential apartments had already been erected. The entire project is targeted to be completed by the end of 2014.

In the past, the CAA had raised objections over some under-construction high-rise buildings in Islamabad, including a hotel, adjacent to the Jinnah Convention Centre.

The CDA chairman said that from Kashmir Highway up to Margalla Hills, the CAA has set the height limit of 550 feet. “The CAA officials proposed to us that all high-rise projects should be referred to them when required but we asked them to resolve the issue once and for all,” he said.

The top CDA official said that in view of shortage of land, the residents of the federal capital would witness vertical development, both residential and commercial.

He said that the prime minister has in principle agreed with a proposal of the CDA on the construction of high-rise buildings on
both sides of Islamabad Highway from Zero Point to Koral Chowk
and Kashmir Highway.

The CDA chairman, however, was not happy over the hurdles, which he has been facing in accomplishing his development plans. “We have not asked for any money from the government but still we face problems in implementation of development projects,” he said adding that all targets could be achieved if hurdles were not created in his way.

He said that files of development plans and other proposals fail to reach the prime minister. “If bureaucratic hurdles are removed, I will be able to start and complete many development plans,” he said. However, he said that the prime minister was very positive in resolving problems of the civic body.