Revision of Capital’s master plan, proposal to restructure CDA approved by Cabinet

ISLAMABAD: Proposals regarding the interim revision of the capital’s master plan as well as restructuring of to restructure the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have been approved by the Cabinet in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

However, the capital’s zoning regulations will remain unchanged.

The proposal to restrict unauthorised housing societies, overcome issues of water shortage and poor sanitation, enhance the capital’s green character and for urban regeneration and expand the city in a planned manner by the implementation of by-laws was presented by the commissioner and approved.

The approved proposal included an increase of G-6’s commercial area to 517 kanals from 97 kanals, parks from 29 kanals to 82 kanals, and public buildings and communal spaces increase to 700 kanals from 556 kanals. Moreover, 16,515 new apartments will be built on 1,297 kanals of existing residential areas.

The southeastern bypass and a ring road which would be 40 km long and 600 feet wide from Rawat to Bhara Kahu, and roads in zones II, IV and V of a combined length of 100km were also approved.

There will be the preservation of historic sites in the Capital to enhance tourism, four new parks patterned on F-9 Park would be established in rural Islamabad, along with one new park spread across two subsectors in H-16, which would be established along the motorway in Zone I.

The proposal approved included no freedom of height in Markaz areas or any changes in class three shopping areas and greater height but reduced ground cover will be applied across the board except for illegal structures.

Being previously restricted to less than 400 kanals of land, as per the approved proposal the CDA will allow housing projects established on 20 to 200 kanals, sources said. Unregulated plotting will be accounted for by reviewing land requirements for housing projects.

To resolve water scarcity, the Simply and Rawal lakes should be de-silted for interim relief and work should be carried out on new reservoirs such as Shahdara and Chirrah, the approved proposal suggested.

To provide 200 million gallons of water per day to Rawalpindi and Islamabad as a long term solution, water should be brought from Tarbela through the Ghazi Barotha Water Project, the report said.

After deliberation, the commission has devised a plan to relocate the katchi abadis, which will further be reviewed through a consultant.

While giving a presentation on restructuring the Capital Development Authority (CDA), CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed proposed that government servants should not have a direct role in the CDA’s board.

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