RAWALPINDI: After a gap of over 20 years, local elected representatives will participate in a meeting to define the limits of commercial and residential areas in both Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments.

The meeting will be held at the station headquarters with Station Commander Brig Shahzad Tanveer in the chair on February 27. All the elected members have been asked to prepare their recommendations for new commercial areas.

A senior official of the cantonment board told Dawn that there was a plan to replace the building by-laws made in 1968 and the meeting would discuss the new by-laws and define commercial and residential areas.

“The lease property in the cantonments are under the control of Military Estate Office and its representative will also attend the meeting. However, the mushroom growth of commercial activities has been the main concern for the garrison authorities.”

He said the garrison authorities wanted to streamline things in the cantonment areas so that commercial and residential areas would be defined at least for the next 10 to 20 years as per the local requirements.

He said there was a need to stop commercial activities in residential areas as it created security issues and led to the increase of unauthorised buildings.

The official said the Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards had completed a survey in their respective areas to define commercial areas but the elected members would also formally present their recommendations in this regard.

“On February 9, the elected members made objections over penalties proposed by the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board in the new building by-laws. This matter would also be discussed at the meeting,” he said.

RCB elected member Hafiz Hussain Ahmed told Dawn that the board had proposed a heavy fine on owners who constructed additional rooms or shops in their commercial buildings. The board did not allow a third storey in the domestic units in residential areas.

“We asked the RCB to review the fine as it will create problems for implementation and force the investors not to invest in commercial buildings,” he said, adding the construction of a third storey in residential buildings would also be allowed.

However, the senior official said a third storey would not be allowed in residential buildings as it would be a burden on old structures in many areas.

“A two-storey residential building is enough to meet the requirement of residence and if a citizen wants the addition of another storey they must pay the commercial fee for it as the third storey would be given on rent,” he said.

When contacted, CCB Vice President Raja Irfan Imtiaz said there was a need to define the commercial and residential areas and replace the outdated building by-laws.

“Many streets in Chaklala Scheme-III and other residential areas have become commercial with the opening of private schools and beauty parlours. The cantonment board wants to maintain a difference between a commercial and residential area so the residents will live in a peaceful environment,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2018