RDA clears buildings sans CAA nod
Buildings are seen on a hazy day. PHOTO: AFP
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has started approving building plans of high-rise buildings in 15 kilometres (km) area around the Islamabad International Airport (IIA).
The authority did not wait for an official notification from the Civil Avation Authority before starting the process and was relying on the assurance given by the Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, sources told The Express Tribune.
Sources said that the authority has started reviewing the building plans after a consensus developed between the RDA Chairman Tariq Murtaza and Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar.
The minister had assured of removal of restrictions on the construction of high-risers within 15-km radius of IIA. However, an official notification in this regard has yet to be issued.
They added that earlier, it was mandatory to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Survey of Pakistan for construction of a high-rise building within 15-km radius of IIA.
However, RDA released a circular on Thursday stating that the restriction of NOC from CAA for construction of tall buildings was no longer in effect.
It added that the authority was solely responsible for reviewing and approving plans of tall buildings in the related premises.
The circular stated that the measure has been taken to boost the construction industry in the country as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. It added that ease and facilitation in the construction process would attract investors.
RDA allows construction of 10-storey buildings
To speed up the process of providing clearances to high-rises, a system is being developed whereby clearance will not be required from the aviation regulator if they are located outside a 15-kilometre radius of the airport.
RDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Murtaza said that in the past, anyone desiring to construct a high-rise first had to approach CAA to obtain an NOC, lest their tall structure interferes with the flight pattern of aeroplanes. The standard was not to have buildings which were over 20 storeys tall within a 15km radius of an airport.
The builder would also need to contact the Survey of Pakistan to authenticate whether the building was located outside a certain radius.
The entire process would consume up to three months, Murtaza said.
“If a housing scheme has been given NOC by CAA, then an NOC is not required for individual buildings of similar nature constructed there,” Murtaza had argued.
In his recent meeting with builders and developers of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Murtaza had assured of facilitating the approval process for maps and other housing schemes apart from working to bring about reforms.
On the issue of obtaining NOCs for high-rises, an integrated system will be built. it will be linked with the RDA, the Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation and the district planning and traffic engineering departments so that when applying for a project, the location can be entered into the system to check how many high-rises or other buildings are allowed or if it falls outside the 15-kilometre radius.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2020.