ISLAMABAD: In order to materialise its plan to amend regulations for Zone III, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to engage the Survey of Pakistan for the “demarcation of Margalla Hills National Park and Zone III”.

Similarly, the CDA is mulling names for a commission, which will likely be headed by a retired judge, to make changes to zoning regulations.

Sources claimed that names of a retired high court judge, former general, National University of Science and Technology (Nust) faculty members, town planners and environmentalists are being considered for the proposed commission. They claimed that demarcation would be completed before the demarcation by the Survey of Pakistan.

“We have requested Survey of Pakistan for demarcation of boundaries,” said a senior official of the CDA. He said the CDA had also prepared estimates for boundary markers which would be erected after the survey report.

Names being considered for zoning commission likely to be headed by retired high court judge

Asked about the previous demarcation, the official said the CDA had completed the demarcation of reserve forests and military grassing land that falls in Margalla Hills and added that the civic agency did not have land falling in Zone III and Margalla Hills demarcated.

“Therefore, we have requested Survey of Pakistan for proper demarcation of the entire Margalla Hills and acquired land,” he said. Zone III, comprising about 50,000 acres, is spread over the Margalla national park area and private land. Out of the total area, at least 20,000 acres of land is private without any rules and regulations.

Commission for Zone III

The CDA board had decided to make changes to the zoning regulations for Zone III last month and a committee under the supervision of member planning was formed in this regard. However, sources said now instead of CDA’s committee, the changes will be made by the proposed commission.

Recently, the planning wing had prepared draft regulations under which it was proposed that old villages located in Margalla Hills would be preserved and there will be a ban on further development work in the area. The sources said the planning wing’s proposals would be shared with the proposed commission as well.

According to sources, Gokina, Talhar and Shahdara, which have not been acquired by the CDA, would be preserved. As per the proposals in the planning wing, the villagers would be provided civic facilities and asked to refrain from carrying out further development work in the vicinity.

According to sources, there would be no forced acquisition despite a ban on construction in the area. They added that locals would be informed that if they wanted to sell their lands, the civic agency would procure it for preservation.

Similarly, the sources said, it had been proposed that private areas which belonged to the locals such as Shah Allah Ditta will be included in Zone I and could be given a new name of Zone I-A.

Kot Hatyal and Bhara Kahu will be added to Zone IV with the addition of a new sub-zone. Similarly, as per the proposals, the area along Murree Road near Rawal Dam Chowk, where construction had already taken place, will also be made part of Zone IV.

The commission will also look into the issue of construction, including CDA’s housing schemes, already taken place within the two-kilometre radius of Rawal Dam. It may be noted that according to existing regulations, there is a ban on construction within two kilometres of the dam area.

As sources claimed that proposed amendments to zoning regulations would provide relief to the public, an official said commercial housing projects should not be allowed in Zone III.

There were reports that a top bureaucrat has been pushing the CDA to make changes to zoning regulations, but CDA denied these claims.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2022