CDA seals seven under-construction buildings in Islamabad

Civic agency warns sponsors of construction without seeking due approval

ISLAMABAD: CDA on Wednesday sealed seven high-rise under-construction buildings in the capital which were being built without due approval from the civic body.

The action was taken in Sector E-11, near Golra.



According to a statement issued by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the seven buildings were sealed as part of a new operation by the civic body against illegal buildings in the capital.

Wednesday’s operation was conducted by the Building Control Sector (BCS) of the authority, with Building Control-II Director Shafi Marwat leading the operation. Officials from the Enforcement, BCS and other related departments participated in the operation. CDA Senior Special Magistrate Imran Zia, Islamabad Capital Territory Administration Magistrate Ali Javed and a contingent of the Islamabad Police were also present.

On the first day of operation, teams of BCS-II sealed eight towers of Capital Residentia, with each tower comprising 16 under-construction storeys.

Similarly, two under-construction towers of Makkah Towers, with each building comprising 12 storeys, were sealed.

The eight-storey under-construction Fenerinia Residentia, Madina Tower and Umair Residentia were also sealed. Margalla Residentia, which was constructing a basement level, was also sealed.

Similarly, work being carried out on extending the Khudaad Heights was also forcibly stopped and the premises were sealed.

Islamabad Mayor and CDA Chairman Sheikh Anser Aziz said that unauthorised construction in Sector E-11 would not be tolerated anymore.

He added that no one will be allowed to destroy the beauty or the symmetry of the federal capital while the CDA zoning regulations would be fully implemented.

He directed to take stern action against the violators to curtail haphazard construction on the fringes of the city.

In this regard, he said that a comprehensive strategy had been devised so that the master plan of the city can be implemented in its true sense.

Meanwhile, the CDA has warned the backers of all such projects who do not have the necessary permission or no-objection certificate from the civic body to continue construction. They have been directed to stop development work immediately and submit the necessary documents under the rules to obtain formal approval from CDA.

If projects continue construction work without seeking permission, action would be taken against them by the authority.

CDA has also warned general public to refrain from transacting in any projects of Sector E-11 without prior verification from the body.

Hotel disputes razing barriers

After the CDA apparently razed security structures placed outside several buildings because they were encroaching on state land, a hotel has disputed the action.

“Due to security issues and serious threats that the Islamabad Marriot Hotel, and many other hotels in Pakistan, face, security measures are in place in coordination with the CDA and security agencies,” the Marriot said on Wednesday in a statement.



“We do not need to remind anyone that we have been victims of terrorism in the past and for us, the security and safety of our guests is of the utmost importance to us,” it said while referring to the 2008 truck bomb attack which left 54 people killed.

“The actions of CDA at Marriot Islamabad are in contradiction to the advice of the high court,” it said, adding, “We are shocked and angry the CDA decided to go to this extreme without consulting us or notifying us.”

The hotel said that it was looking at its options and would take any step necessary to deal with the situation.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2017.