MCI set to get plot at Zero Point to set up Town Hall

Author: By Muhammad Asad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The first ever elected body of the federal capital is going to get a plot situated at the central location of the city for the purpose of building a town hall.

Though, the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) is fully functional since last year, but it is still unclear about its assets and liabilities due to multiple litigations in courts by the workers union of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

In the present circumstances of the MCI, the allotment of a plot for the construction of a Town Hall is a positive sign for the local bodies system. The planning wing of the CDA has prepared a summary in this regard which will be presented in the next meeting of the CDA board for its final approval.

A plot measuring 7.5 acres designated for the construction of CDA offices was already available near zero point interchange, between the T&T Park and the head office of Pakistan Post. Now, the two thirds portion of the said plot will be handed over to the MCI while one third portion of the same plot will remain in the ownership of the CDA.

The Member Planning CDA Asad Mehboob Kiyani, while talking to the Daily Times explained: “The plot is being distributed between the CDA and the MCI as per the formula of devolution because we have already divided other assets at the same ratio.”

The plot will be used for the construction of MCI’s head office, in which offices of the Mayor, Deputy Mayors, Chief Officer and other functionaries of MCI will be constructed while a conference hall to hold the sessions of the corporation will also be a part of the building.

Currently, the situation is not quite satisfactory besides assuming charge of the dual offices of Chairman CDA and Mayor of Islamabad by Shaikh Ansar Aziz, as he has failed to settle the dispute over the distribution of resources between the MCI and the CDA.

There is no permanent office of chief officer while his staff is shifting its locations rapidly for the last one year. The sessions of MCI are also being held in the auditorium of Pak-China Friendship Centre.

On the other side, the already committed funds for the MCI by the federal government have also not been released so far. The elected body is forced to run its day to day affairs by taking loans from the CDA.