ISLAMABAD: The much hyped drive launched by the city managers to erect boundary markers around the capital city is facing an inordinate delay as only 50pc work could be completed within the deadline of three months set to finish the task.

On the directives of the Supreme Court, the CDA started erecting the boundary markers in June and was supposed to complete the project within 90 days.

However, sources said the exercise was facing a delay and in the revised deadline the civic agency was planning to complete the task by Dec 31.

“There are several reasons for the delay as CDA is executing the project in collaboration with the capital administration and the Survey of Pakistan. We also face the issue of overlapping boundary in some areas,” said CDA spokesperson Syed Safdar Ali.

So far only 50pc work could be completed because of different reasons, including overlapping of boundary in I-12 and I-14, official says

He said in I-12 and I-14, the CDA had boundary issues with the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB). Earlier, some housing societies also resisted the CDA move that also caused a delay.

“Now, the issue with the housing societies has been settled but we have stopped erecting pillars in the disputed area of I-12 and I-14 for the time being. Except this area, our work is in progress and will be completed by the end of this year,” Mr Ali said.

CDA officials involved in the project told Dawn that they had also been facing difficulties while erecting the pillars in Margalla Hills. They said from Chattar area of Islamabad the contractor had started erecting the boundary markers.

However, they said the project would be completed before Dec 31.

The markers are being erected to identify the CDA land and prevent it from being encroached.

According to the master plan of Islamabad, the capital spreads over 906 square km and is divided into five zones. Zone-1 consists of 222.41sq km, Zone-II 39.68 sq km, Zone-III 203.93 sq km, Zone-IV 282.53 sq km and Zone-V 157.95 sq km.

The demarcation was being carried out on the basis of the federal government’s notification dated 1963 which also showed the capital’s total area as 906 sq km.

A couple of months ago, the RCB opposed the exercise along some parts of I-12 and I-14 and the matter landed before the Islamabad district administration which directed the CDA to stop the process there until the matter was decided by the federal government.

Sources in the CDA said after completion of the exercise the CDA would be in a position to protect its land. In the past as the land was not defined it was encroached in different areas.

An official of the environment wing said the CDA and private individuals had boundary issues in different parts of Margalla Hills, including Shah Allah Ditta. However, he said in a recent survey the issue had been resolved.

“After erection of the pillars, the mater will be resolved for good,” he said, adding the exercise carried out by the Survey of Pakistan was an authentic as it was based on the survey sheets 1904 of the Survey of India.

About Shah Allah Ditta and other areas where the CDA has a land dispute with the locals, the official said the environment wing would soon get compartment-wise copies of the survey which would make everything clearer.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2018