CDA’s violation of master plan in I-8

ISLAMABAD: The residents of Sector I-8 in Islamabad continue to suffer due to thousands of illegal plots created  by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on greenbelts and other areas in the sector.

A survey by The Express Tribune revealed that dozens of main roads, streets and link roads have been blocked by the CDA to create space for new plots. Moreover, these new plots violate the CDA’s master plan for the sector, which was in line with the rules of the CDA Ordinance 1960.

Some of the new plots have been adjusted in the designated greenbelts of the sector, which has caused the nearby plots to lose their value. The residents have complained to the CDA several times and have even registered a case in the court, but have been unable to stop the authority.

Moreover, houses built on these newly created plots are creating a strain on the already-available resources in the sector. Former Director General of Planning and Development Commission Muhammad Ashraf said that the CDA has been unable to provide adequate facilities including proper sewerage disposal, water supply, metalled roads and pavements for pedestrians in the new portions of the sector.

Ashraf added that the CDA was shelving I-8’s nullah to create space for additional plots. Muhammad Bilal, a software engineer and resident of I-8, said that the original plan dated December 31, 1990 called for a nullah that would protect nearby houses from flood water, but a large portion of the original nullah has now been filled up to create more plots. The CDA has managed to claim about 20 feet of additional land through this step, he added.

Back in 1988, Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation had acquired plots in I-8 for those government employees who had completed 20 years of service by September, 1988. As per the agreement, 20 per cent of the land (about 420 plots) was to be reserved for CDA employees. This land was allotted to them in 2007, after a long legal battle.

However the CDA has continued to make more plots for its employees since then. A CDA official, on condition of anonymity said, “The [original] 20 per cent quota for CDA employees set 420 plots, but city managers have created thousands of additional plots over time.”

Ramzan Sajid, CDA spokesperson, denied that CDA was involved in creating plots that violated the master plan for the sector. “CDA has allotted plots to its employees as per rules and there is no violation of the original master plan,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2010.