CDA continues it demolition drive as part of its anti-encroachment campaign in the capital. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD: To determine code violations by different buildings in the federal capital in order to regulate them, the civic authority of the city has decided to form three separate committees to survey buildings in the city within a month.
This was directed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Tuesday.
The authority noted that violations of various types of buildings have been a major issue in the city, however, no serious effort was made in the past to eradicate these violations. The issue was also raised at various forums, particularly in various courts where the authority came under fire for its failure to timely regulate buildings.
Hence, the authority said that it had decided to ensure that all types of buildings comply with the building by-laws. For this purpose, it will conduct a detailed survey to ascertain building violations in various types of buildings including government accommodations and office buildings owned by different ministries and departments.
The first committee, headed by the Building Control-II director and comprising maintenance director, urban planning deputy director and a representative from the of Estate Office will carry out the survey to determine the violations by the allottees and occupants of government accommodations.
Similarly, a second committee headed by Building Control-I director, and comprising Urban Planning director, Estate Management –II director and a representative from the Public Works Department (PWD) will carry out surveys to determine violations committed in buildings owned by various ministries and government departments.
The third committee will be headed by the Building Control-I director while the Sanitation director and EPC director will be its members.
The committee will survey the city for illegal sewerage connection for buildings which drain into the storm drains.
The CDA has directed that these committees submit a weekly report to the CDA Chairman and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Chief Commissioner Amer Ali Ahmed.
If the buildings are found violating regulations, the teams have been directed to serve notices to such violators.
Furthermore, all concerned departments of the authority have been directed to provide necessary assistance to the committees so that the task could be completed within the stipulated time period.
The move comes a day after the CDA launched an operation to open the right-of-way on multiple thoroughfares in the city, particularly a service lane encroached upon by a popular mall in Sector F-8 following a hearing at the Supreme Court in this regard.
Anti-encroachment drive
The CDA continued its anti-encroachment operation across the federal capital on Wednesday, and its Enforcement Directorate demolished several illegal structures in Sira-e-Madhoo, Sector D-12/2, and slums of Sector G-6/2.
The authority’s Enforcement Directorate along with the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration and other concerned formations took action against illegal structures in Sira-e-Madhoo near the Sangjani Toll Plaza and demolished an illegally built residential unit comprising four rooms, a kitchen, a washroom and an outer boundary wall. The structure was found to be encroaching on state land by the revenue staff.
Similarly, five commercial shops and a showroom which had been built illegally in the vicinity were also demolished.
Moreover, the enforcement teams also demolished a room in street 40 of Sector D-12/2. The room had been illegally built on a residential plot by the owner of an adjoining house by for keeping his pet dogs.
The action was taken after the owner of the house quarrelled with CDA teams and created hindrance in demolishing the room on Tuesday.
CDA officials, while destroying the room on Wednesday, were processing an application to register a first information report (FIR) against the resident with the Golra police station.
In an operation in the slums in Sector G-6/2, a newly-built wall on the roof of a residential house was also demolished.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2019.
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