Cashing in: CDA turns lucrative mistake into precedent

Board allows commercial activities on residential plot.

ISLAMABAD: A concession extended by city managers to alter the proposed land use plan of a commercial plot in Sector F-10, in order to make it look even more lucrative, is likely to give birth to yet another controversy.

The plot that was presented for auction on the first day received a bid of Rs2.72 billion - the highest in the event and was initially meant for construction of a 10-storey luxury residential apartment building with no commercial activities.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) board, using its powers, approved changes to the original land use plan by allowing the investor to conduct commercial activities on up to three floors of the complex that is to be built here. “CDA, simply, took a plan that is used for its commercial plots in the city’s commercial hub Blue Area and applied it to the plot located in F-10,” a senior official of the authority explained.

The amendment to land use plan was made citing a precedent set by the authority during the PPP government’s tenure when it allowed commercial activities on Margalla Towers’ lower-level floors, contrary to the fact that it was a ‘residential only’ plot.

“Instead of rectifying previous mistake by holding an inquiry into the issue, the incumbent board used it as a precedent - a clear misuse of its authority,” an official of the CDA said.

It’s worth remembering that the CDA board has altered the plan despite the presence of a dissenting note issued by its planning and design wing that asks to rectify the earlier mistake rather than using it as a precedent.

Before the decision it should have been taken into consideration that unlike Blue Area, F-10’s roads already remain clogged for a major part of the day. The initiative will escalate parking and commuting related issues even further and will also complicate the provision of allied services.

A senior officer in the civic body on special duty negated the impression that CDA might have over-stepped its authority. “Section 6 (3) of chapter 3 of Islamabad Land Disposal Regulation provides that CDA board is competent to alter the proposed land use plan of commercial plots before allotment to an individual or firm,” he told The Express Tribune. Under that provision, he added, the proposed land use plan was changed for the plot and the F-10 commercial area was being developed as an extension of Blue Area which makes certain by-laws regarding commercial plots applicable here.

However, the official admitted that the relaxation is bound to generate litigations because investors who own similar plots will also want to avail the concession.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2013.