Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is itself involved in violation of the master plan of the capital city as the authority is also involved in conversion of motel plots into marriage halls and marquees at Park Road. In some cases the authority goes beyond the limits by facilitating blue-eyed persons.

Coming from Faizabad to Jinnah Convention Centre on Park Road, a series of multi-storeyed hotels and marquees has been raised in violation of the capital’s master plan. The said structures fall in the area of National Park.

Sources inside the CDA briefed the Daily Times that the whole area was meant for sports and culture related activities according to city planners. The sports complex, gun and country club, boys scouts head office, Pak-China Friendship Centre and Lok Virsa museum have already been established at the same site. A sports city with an international cricket stadium is also in the pipeline in the same area. They further revealed that the plots alongside Park Road were declared for motels in the master plan to provide accommodation facilities for national and international athletes, who were supposed to visit the area after the completion of the sports city.

The documents of allotment also show that these plots were allotted in the 1970s purely for the construction of motels. However, with the passage of time, the status of plots has been changed by the owners with the convenience of the CDA. Currently, a series of hotels i.e. Best Western, Regency, Ramada, Dream Land and two massive marquees Tulip and Majestic are functional on these plots.

For instance in the case of Tulip Marquee, Plot Number 3 on Park Road was allotted to the M/S Travelodge Private Ltd. in June 1974 for the construction of a motel only, but later on the Chief Executive Travelodge Private Ltd. Chaudhry Muhammad Shareef Handwalia approached the CDA in 2009 and requested the Authority to allow him the construction of a marquee on temporary basis.

In response the city managers, who usually show reluctance to allow a single cabin for the general public in their houses accepted the request of the owner and allowed him to place a huge-sized marquee on temporary basis in the said plot for one year, which was extendable to four more years in 2013.

After the expiry of one year’s approval, the CDA had issued a notice to the owner of Tulip Marquee for the extension of its previous approval, but he instead of responding to the Authority, had approached the Federal Ombudsman by complaining that the Authority was harassing him and trying to disturb his business. The matter is now sub judice.

Sources inside the CDA said the conversion of motel plots into hotels and wedding halls was a clear violation of Islamabad’s master plan. It also leaves a question mark on the performance of city managers.

While responding on the issue, the member planning of the Authority Waseem Ahmed Khan said: “I am not in the position to comment on the matter specifically as I am not aware of developments over such conversions.” He said further; “I ensure you that we did not approve even a single conversion of land used in the last two and half years.” He categorically declared that the use of a motel plot for wedding hall is not possible according to the rules, but we need to review the issue case to case.”