ISLAMABAD: The commission formed by the federal government to revise the master plan of Islamabad has proposed relaxation in rules for setting up housing societies in the capital.
Sources said the commission proposed changes to the ‘rigid’ rules and from now housing schemes could be developed on 200 kanals instead of the earlier 400 kanal minimum requirement.
The commission will present its draft report before the federal cabinet soon. It proposed that the CDA should allow developers to set up housing schemes on 200 kanals subject to fulfillment of planning parameters.
The sources said the commission members at their last meeting held on Oct 4 observed that because of the ‘rigid’ rules housing societies had been avoiding getting no-objection certificates (NOC) from the CDA that resulted into unauthorised construction.
Draft report says minimum requirement of 400 kanals be reduced to 200 kanals.
Currently, there are over 100 unauthorised housing schemes in the capital and owners of majority of them have also sold out the land which was initially reserved for green areas, amenities, schools and parks.
The civic agency never took any serious action on time rather in most of the cases kept itself restricted to issuing only ‘notices’ to the violators.
On the other hand, the citizens who purchased plots in housing schemes are now suffering because of the illegal status of the housing schemes. On the recommendations of the CDA, utility companies are also not providing them gas and electricity connections.
Related: RDA seals site offices of four illegal housing schemes near Islamabad International Airport
Some CDA officials said that in many housing schemes the owners had been facing shortage of the required 400 kanals and after selling the available plots had left the projects abandoned, causing problems for those who had purchased plots there.
A senior officer of the CDA confirmed that from now a housing scheme could be developed on 200 kanals. He, however, said as per the set standards a housing scheme should be developed on 400 kanals. But in those cases where owners do not have 400 kanals, they would be allowed to develop a scheme on 200 kanals. But they will have to leave the amenity land in accordance with the formula of 400 kanals.
“Personally, I support the commission’s decision. Now, the housing schemes have a fair chance of developing societies on 200 kanals as earlier it was practically difficult for them to acquire a 400 kanal compact piece of land in the capital,” he said.
Meanwhile, the commission also recommended one more storey in all commercial centres which are already facing the issue of parking. However, CDA officials said plaza owners who would add a new storey would provide the required parking space. (With additional input from INP)
