ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has not moved to acquire land in Zone I, and the undecided status of parts of this area has led to unauthorised construction.

The CDA is responsible for acquiring land in Zone I to develop planned sectors, but has only done so in one portion of Zone I. The developed sectors include mainly the G to F, I and E series, such as G-5 up to G-11 and F-5 up to F-11.

As a result, unauthorised construction has continued in undeveloped areas for decades.

“Although we warn people not to carry out construction through advertisement, honestly speaking, how can we ask them not to utilise their land? It is our fault, as we are neither acquiring it nor are we approving construction in Zone I,” a CDA official who wished to remain anonymous said.

He said that sectors such as H-13, H-14, H-15, H-17, G-15, E-15, E-14, E-13 and D-15 are still have not been acquired but construction there is ongoing.

Sources said that heavy construction is already taking place because of the CDA’s negligence. When it does acquire land for these sectors, the CDA will have to face the financial implications of paying for land and for built-up property (BUP) claims.

“There is still time to pay heed to this burning issue, otherwise in the coming years it will be next to impossible for the CDA to decide the fate of these sectors,” a planning wing official from the CDA, who asked not to be named, said.

CDA officials Dawn spoke to said that a commission formed by the cabinet to review Islamabad’s master plan should look into this matter as well.

“The solution is very simple. The CDA should acquire the land in these sectors after paying landowners for their land and BuP, or the construction there should be regularised and the authority should allow landlords to carry out development in accordance to its rules and regulations. And new rules should be framed immediately,” a CDA official said.

However, he added that if left unattended there would be serious ramifications of this negligence.

Besides this, there are also stalled sectors, for which the CDA has acquired land but has not begun development work.

Among these is E-12, where people have been awaiting land they were allotted for more than 30 years, as well as the partially developed I-11, I-12, I-15, H-16, H-17, I-17, Park Enclave II and Kuri Model Village.

C-13, C-14, C-15, C-16, D-13, E-13 and F-13 were acquired in 2008 under a land sharing formula through which the CDA will give landowners a one kanal developed plot in exchange for four kanals of undeveloped land. The CDA has so far failed to clear allotment cases against land and BUP compensation in these sectors.

Islamabad has also seen an increase in its population, recorded as over two million in the last census. Decades of negligence by the city’s management has led to an acute shortage of affordable housing for capital residents.

CDA spokesperson Syed Safdar Ali said that the current management has been focused on starting development activities in stalled sectors.

“We have made a comprehensive plan to start development activities in E-12, E-12 and I-15. Soon we will start development work in these sectors,” he said.

When asked about un-acquired sectors, he said the CDA and the Islamabad Capital Territory administration have already banned unauthorised construction, with a particular focus on the un-acquired parts of Zone I.

“Our first priority is to start development work in stalled sectors, and then we will move to acquire more sectors,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2019