CDA pushes for bylaw amendment

[Salman]

CDA pushes for bylaw amendment

ISLAMABAD - The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is facing problems in getting an approval for a summary sent to the law ministry that would enable the authority to enter into joint ventures with private parties to initiate several projects in the federal capital. A source in CDA, seeking anonymity, told Pakistan Today that the summary had been forwarded to the law ministry a few months ago to amend the CDA by-laws and enable the authority to start development work under public private partnership. The official added that if the authority was unable to work in collaboration with private landholders, the restriction would allow land grabbers to benefit from the situation.
The CDA official said if the CDA laws were amended, it would help the common masses to obtain homes at nominal prices, like the residents of the Ashiana housing scheme. He stated that as the civic body was facing severe financial crisis, it had become difficult for the authority to initiate costly projects on its own. The source added that the authority needed joint ventures in land-related projects but also for the construction of hotels and commercial plazas to have sustainable sources of income. He said the authority had no plans for 2012 regarding housing development whereas the shortage of housing units has increased drastically. However, new housing projects could be initiated by entering joint ventures. The authority, he said, also sought the planning commission’s consent regarding amendments to the CDA by-laws, to which the commission encouraged the amendment process.
In the past the authority had tried to develop the Northern strip of sector E/11 in a joint venture with the Multi Professional Cooperative Housing Society (MPCHS) but the Supreme Court stopped the authority from doing so by declaring it illegal. The court at that time observed that Clause (iv) of regulation 4(1) A of the Islamabad Capital Territory (Zoning) Regulation 1992 is inconsistent with sections 12 and 13 read with section 2(a) and (j) and consequently the project was rendered inoperative and ineffective. The authority then decided to push for amendments in the laws in this regard.