‘Make structures friendly to specially-abled people’

PM tells CDA to provide necessary infrastructure including ramps, lifts, toilets

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday directed the apex civic body of the federal capital to ensure that all buildings in the city are equipped with the requisite facilities for people with special needs or specially-abled people and make them specially-abled-friendly.

"In order to ensure safe and easy access to persons with disabilities, the Prime Minister has desired that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) shall take immediate measures to make all public places and buildings in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) as disabled-friendly through provision of necessary infrastructure including ramps, lifts, toilets etc, "read a letter issued by the Prime Minister's Office. In the letter, PM Imran further directed that in the future all new public places and buildings constructed in ICT shall be designed and constructed in such a manner that they address the special needs of specially-abled people.

The CDA, through its buildings, shall also ensure the provision of these facilities in private buildings within its jurisdiction, it added.

Moreover, the CDA was directed to take action in this regard on priority and to also keep the Prime Minister's Office informed of its progress on a monthly basis.

CDA forms DPC

The CDA has finally made some progress on the long-standing issue of promotions in the authority after the first meeting of its Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) was held on Wednesday and it recommended the promotion of 23 personnel.

The inaugural meeting of the committee was chaired by the CDA Administration Member and reviewed the promotion cases. The committee approved the promotion of two horticulture officers in Basic Pay Scale (BS)-16 as Assistant Director Environment in BPS-17.

Similarly, 10 horticulture assistants in BPS-14, were promoted as horticulture officers in BPS-16. Further, 11 divisional head draftsmen and junior architects in BPS-14 were promoted as Circle Head Draftsman or Senior Architects. These recommendations will be submitted to the respective appointing authority for final approval.

The process of conducting departmental promotion reviews have been on pause for a long time. This was not only affecting official business but was also allegedly creating restlessness amongst employees.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2019.