CDA to resume survey of Bani Gala today

Details of all buildings built in the area especially illegal constructions to be recorded

ISLAMABAD: In compliance with orders from the Supreme Court, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) is expected to once again carry out a comprehensive survey of the Bani Gala area to determine all illegal and unauthorised constructions there.

Last week, the CDA had submitted a list of 122 illegal and unauthorised commercial buildings which had been built in the area, including the residence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan. Ironically, the Supreme Court had sought a list of all illegal buildings in the area while hearing a petition filed by the cricketer-turned-politician.

CDA had told the apex court that as per the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Zoning Regulations 1992, these buildings were illegal and should be demolished.

Moreover, the civic body had further contended it could not provide civic services such as garbage collection and sanitary sewerage system in Bani Gala area as per law.

“Though the authority had already resumed its survey on Friday in compliance with SC orders, the survey will be launched officially to record all construction from Monday (today),” CDA Building Section (BCS) Director Muhammad Shafi Marwat told The Express Tribune.

A three-member bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing a case about large-scale encroachments and unplanned construction in Bani Gala after taking suo motu action on a letter written by Imran.

In the letter, the PTI chief had drawn the court’s attention towards unchecked and unplanned construction in the are large-scale felling of trees and pollution of Rawal Lake by dumping of raw sewage.

The court had subsequently on May 10 directed CDA to submit details of land allotment and buildings constructed there.

Marwat said that previously they had conducted a survey of all commercial buildings which had been constructed along the main roads including those on Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Road, Imran Khan Road, main Bani Gala Road.

Further, the survey included buildings which had been built close to the Rawal Lake.

However, in the survey which will commence today, the CBS official said they would also record details of all buildings built in the area, especially illegal constructions. Hence, the list of 122 buildings previously presented to the SC is likely to increase.

The CDA official added that it would take officials at least a week to compile records of all buildings in the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2017.