ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Monday decided to invite expression of interest (EOI) from national and international consultant firms for revising the master plan of Islamabad.

Member Planning Asad Mehboob Kayani approved a draft which will be published in newspapers to call the EOI in coming days.

According to the EOI documents, the review work will entail evaluation of principal elements of the existing master plan, comparison of actual development outcome with the master plan, forecasting growth pattern and preparing a master programme for controlling and directing the overall growth of Islamabad to an optimal strategy up to 2050.

The revision will also include preparation of short-term (2020-50) action programme for strategic issues such as housing, commercial, water supply, sewerage and drainage, urbanisation of rural area, community facilities (parks and drainage, graveyards etc), utility services, institutions (educational, health, social, cultural religious), public buildings, diplomatic enclave, communication network, roads, railway, transportation network, terminals, mass transit, hydrology, springs, natural streams, wetlands, archaeology, tourism, art galleries, museums, libraries, exhibition grounds, parade grounds and sports activities etc.

The firms are supposed to complete the task within two years.

The original master plan suggested comprehensive revisions after every 20 years but successive governments never made any such attempts.

However, selective amendments were made to the master plan that resulted in the lack of civic planning in the city.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2018