ISLAMABAD: City managers are planning to construct a medical city in I-17, which will have major health facilities.

The proposed medical city will be set up under the supervision of National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), which will also establish a state of the art university and allied medical facilities there.

Sources said CDA Chairman Usman Bajwa on Tuesday discussed the allotment of the entire I-17 sector for the medical city with CDA officers.

They said under the Islamabad master plan, I-17 is reserved for industrial sector.

“At present, the proposal to set up the medical city is under discussion. If the project is approved, the CDA will request the federal government to make changes to the master plan, with an aim to convert the status of this sector from industrial to institutional,” a senior CDA officer told Dawn.

The officer said the government was keen to start the project.

“Our role is just to provide land in I-17, and the government will pay for this land, and National University of Medical Sciences will set up medical facilities.

“Yes, this proposal is under consideration and in a meeting, the CDA chief discussed this issue in detail; at this stage, I can’t share further information,” he said.

Sources said currently the CDA had acquired 7,971 kanals. However, he said after settling acquisition issue and built-up property claims with locals, the CDA would acquire the entire sector.

Some officials of CDA while talking to Dawn questioned the justification of changing the master plan to make 1-17 an institutional sector. They said the adjoining H-17 sector should be allotted for medical city as it was an institutional sector.

In the past too, several industrial sectors including I-12, I-14, I-15 and I-16 were converted into residential ones.

“Establishment of medical city is a good step, but land should be allotted as per need for the city,” a CDA officer said.

When contacted, Member Estate Khushal Khan said that currently a proposal was under consideration for setting up of medical city in sector I-17. He didn’t share further information. However, he said the federal government could change status of any sector after making amendment to the master plan.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2018