ISLAMABAD: The city managers have set one month’s deadline for the completion of a hydrological survey of buildings in E-11.

A board member of the CDA said the hydrological survey would be conducted within a month as the civic agency was all set to enforce its bylaws in the unregulated sector.

“Last month, the federal cabinet authorised us to enforce our bylaws and get the hydrological survey conducted in E-11. Today, we fixed the deadline of one month,” he said and added that the cost of the survey would be borne by housing societies.

In July this year, E-11 saw urban flooding due to a narrowed down stream in which a woman and her son lost their lives. Following this, the CDA and the federal government swung into action and decided to enforce the bylaws in the sector.

Officials said CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed would chair a meeting on E-11 likely on Monday to decide further course of action in the light of the cabinet decision.

The sector remained unregulated as it was exempted from land acquisition in 1968 by the then by president Ayub Khan. The sector is facing mushroom growth of unauthorised high-rise buildings while a large number of houses have also been built on the right of way of natural streams.

Meanwhile, sources said the CDA chairman had directed the inquiry committee probing the E-11 case to complete the task soon to initiate action against the guilty officials.

“We will also raze houses/buildings constructed on the right of way of nullahs,” an officer of the CDA said and added that at the next week’s meeting a road map would be decided to initiate operation in E-11. He said buildings constructed on the right of way of the nullah would be razed and those who sold plots there would be directed to bear the cost of the rehabilitation of people from the nullah banks.

Asked about the new bylaws under which E-11 will be dealt, the officer said at the next meeting a decision would be taken. But based on the discussions held so far “I can say the bylaws of Zone I will be implemented in E-11,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2021