Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The city managers have moved forward to restrict unauthorised construction in the federal capital and wrote separate letters to the deputy commissioner Islamabad, the general manager SNGPL and the chief executive IESCO in this regard. But all this had been done without a well devised modus operandi.

Though, the Member Planning CDA Asad Mehboob Kiani, sent separate letters to the aforementioned heads of the government institutions to seek their help in ending illegal construction in the capital city, but there is no mechanism evolved within the CDA so far to monitor such development across the city.

The Member Planning CDA asked the chiefs of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) and Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) to not provide a new utility connection to anyone in the federal capital without a prior No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the civic body.

On the other side, it was requested of the Deputy Commissioner ICT to impose Section-144 on illegal construction whereas to control the illegal land subdivision and construction, the registration deeds of sale/purchase of properties within ICT limits may not executed without the NOC of the CDA.

“There is nothing new in these letters as a decision of the federal cabinet is already standing in the case of illegal housing societies, in which IESCO and SNGPL were restricted to provide utility connections, but it was never implemented in letter and spirit”, an officer of the authority commented.

Unauthorised construction is on the rise in various parts of the city, including Park Road, E-11, H-13, Banigala, Bara Kahu and Lehtrar Road whereas the Building Control Section (BCS) is only enforcing its bylaws at developed sectors due to multiple reasons.

An insider pointed out that the letters written by the Member Planning did not mention any modus operandi as to who will issue the NOCs as there are some elements in the CDA, who at their own level wrote letters to the IECSO and SNGPL for the provision of connections in illegal housing societies in the past.

“The authority is quite serious in taking action against illegal construction work within the city, but at the same time we are well aware of the shortage of staff to fulfil the need”, Director BCS Shafih Marwat said by adding that authority was also preparing to increase the strength to enforce Islamabad Residential Sector (Building Control) Zoning Regulations 2005.

He further said: “The capital expanded gradually, but successive managements never upgraded the building control section to deal with the mushrooming in the capital’s suburbs, confining itself to the developed sectors.” It was proposed on many occasions that in order to enforce building bylaws across the city effectively and efficiently, there should be a fully empowered building control authority, but the same could not be materialised.

An organogram prepared by the Planning wing of the CDA proposed that such an authority should be constituted under the supervision of a Director General with four directors including director building control-I, director building control-II, director anti-encroachment and director administration.

It further stated that the new authority will have 10 deputy directors while the authority will have its own enforcement and public relations department. There will be 19 assistant directors, 48 inspectors, 96 sub inspectors and other official staff members.