Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The dubious approval made by the CDA board to allow the establishment of a 24-storey building of Avari Hotel in G-6 Markaz is a scam and needs in-depth investigation of relevant departments as the said approval is unique in its kind. The raise of a 24-storey hotel building in the residential sector will cause several problems in future.

According to details, the CDA had allotted plot no 13 in G-6 Markaz to M/s Hameed and Ashraf Sanik for the construction of a four-storey hotel in 1973. Subsequently an additional area of 4197.85 square yards was also allotted for the construction of a swimming pool and a parking place to cater to the vehicles.

Later on, the total area of 8531.18 square yards was purchased by M/s Avari in 2005. The new owner approached the CDA in January 2007 and sought approval to build a 32-storey hotel on this plot.

The owner made several commitments including completion of this project within one year, providing employment to 1,000 people and installng a water treatment plant.

In response, the CDA board in its meeting held on January 22, 2007 had approved the project and allow M/s Avari to construct a 24-storey building on the plot of the swimming pool by ignoring a number of legal and societal aspects.

Firstly, according to the master plan of Islamabad, the permissible number of storeys at the Marakiz is five, whereas the CDA board approved a 24-storey building on the site by ignoring rules.

Secondly, the said approval was also a case of the change of land use as the plot was allotted for the construction of a swimming pool and car parking only. Last but not least, the approval of this high rise building on the said plot has many adverse implications on existing services like roads, parking space, water and electric supply because it is situated in an already congested area of Melody. It is a matter of general observance that the roads around this plot become congested at office timings.

The civic authority also tried to share the burden with the federal government because the approval was a major shift from the master plan of Islamabad to allow such a structure at the Markaz of the residential sector. Therefore, the city managers decided to seek the endorsement of the federal government in this regard.

The CDA board approved this project subject to the final approval of the government and sent it to the interior ministry. The interior ministry while responding to this request simply stated that the approval of such a building was in the purview of the CDA board according to its ordinance and sent the ball back to the authority’s court.

While talking to Daily Times an officer of the Planning Wing said: “The decision was sole in its kind as the board allowed the Floor Average Ration (FAR) of 1.5, which was previously allowed only for the two biggest projects; The Centaurus and the Grand Hyatt, but it is pertinent to mention here that these projects are not situated in congested areas as the said project is.”

He said further, “This decision provides a precedent for the establishment of high raised buildings at the Marakiz of more sectors and replication of this project in other sectors can badly harm the beauty and the master plan of the capital city.

A former Member Planning and Design of the CDA has commented; “Although, the approval of such projects is in the purview of the authority’s board, it should not cross the limits as in the case of Avari Hotel.” He suggested further that an independent inquiry should be launched and the decision should be revised in the best favour of the city.