Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The supreme decision making forum of Capital Development Authority (CDA), its Board of Director has cancelled the allotment of a high rise Grand Hyatt Hotel located at Constitution Avenue over the violation of building bylaws and legal anomalies.

The CDA Board has decided to cancel the allotment of the said plot as the builders of Grand Hyatt had created third party interest without adhering to the CDA by-laws.

The Secretary CDA Board Asif Shah Jahan while talking to Daily Times has confirmed the board decision in this regard. “We informed about the Board decision to Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the authority has cancelled the plot and formal notification would be issued in few days after the completion of caudal formalities.”

On July 1, 2006, Building Control Section (BCS) of the authority had sealed the under-construction multi-storey hotel for various building and layout plan violations. In response, the builders of the Grand Hyatt Hotel challenged the move in High Court and tried to get an order for unsealing of their premises.

However, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani had restrained the civic agency from taking further coercive action against the builders and maintained; “no demolition or structure demolition of any work will be undertaken.” Whereas, on the other side the court restricted the builders not raise any new structure in the project.

The whole project is a sole example of nepotism, favouritism and mal-practices as the incumbent Chairman CDA itself accepts that the former chairmen extended favours to the BNP Group. The building, which will house a five-star hotel and residential apartments, is being built by the BNP Group.

In 2005, CDA auctioned the said plot to the BNP Group for Rs4.88 billion and handed over possession after receiving Rs 400 million. The rest of the amount was to be paid over 15 years.

Later in 2012, the then chairman CDA rescheduled the payment plan and allowed BNP to pay the remaining amount till 2026.

One after another favours raises the eye brows of relevant circles and a well-placed source in Islamabad Real Estate Empire has revealed that an influential federal minister is also part of this project through his front-man.

The builders have made several building bylaws violations. They built 240 apartments when it was only permitted to construct 120; whereas, they also sell the apartments in market without seeking completion certificate from the Building Control Section.

While commenting on the situation, the Director BCS Shafi Marwat said; “The possession of the building rests with the authority; whereas, after the cancelation of allotment, now the authority would decide that how to recover the damages through this building”.

At the end of whole episode the question is that what is the future of this huge building and what would be the next step of the CDA in this case.

While responding on the cancelation of said plot by CDA, the legal advisor of Grand Hyatt Hotel said; “the decision of the civic body is against the law and we are going to file an appeal in Islamabad High Court against the decision of the authority. Additional Legal Advisor of the civic body has said; “The role of Chairman CDA, Maroof Afzal is quite laudable because he took a strict step and challenged a big business giant”.”In my view the case would again come in the court of law, where it would be decided”, he added.