ISLAMABAD: City managers have formed four high-powered committees with an aim to resolve issues being faced by citizens, investors and builders.

The four committees — Sector Development Monitoring Committee, Monitoring Committee for High-rise Projects, Housing Schemes Monitoring Committee and Rehabilitation Committee — will meet once in a month.

According to a notification dated March 17, the sector development committee is headed by the CDA chairman and comprises members engineering, planning, estates, the director general works and others.

The committee will monitor, examine and decide issues and matters regarding development of sectors in Zone I and II.

It is relevant to note that at least in five sectors - E-12, I-12, C-14,C-15 - the CDA has started development works but the progress is very slow.

Committees to meet once a month; will monitor and decide matters of public interest

Whereas there are several others sectors which CDA had acquired in 2008 but could not get possession of the land for starting works because of pending compensation cases. These sectors are D-13, F-13, E-13, C-13,H-16 and I-17.

The notification said that the committee will examine and decide the issues such as land acquisition, award, ownership and demarcation of land, land compensation and built-up property and removal of encroachments, hiring of consultants and contractors, infrastructure development, including water supply, gas, electricity, drainage, roads and water.

The committee will also look into the issue of development of parks, repair and maintenance, funds and budgets.

The committee on high-rise projects is also headed by the CDA chairman and consists of members and other officers. They will examine and decide cases/issues of high-rise projects and schemes as and when recommended by the member planning regarding monitoring of lay-out plans, approval of building plans, issuance of completion certificates, action against non-conforming use etc.

The housing scheme committee, when requested by the member planning, will monitor the layout plans, including revised ones, and extended layout plans, issuance of NOCs for development, recovery of outstanding dues, allotment of plots, violation of approved layout plans.

According to the notification, the rehabilitation committee will scrutinise, examine and decide claims, grievances of land owners/affected people, retrieval of acquired land and finalisation of survey lists. This committee will also propose shifting of the dwellers of recognised katchi abadis in case the CDA moves them to other places and the allocation of funds for rehabilitation projects.

An official of the CDA said the formation of the committees was a decision of Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal as he had to face complaints from citizens, developers and investors on a daily basis.

The official said the chairman would preside over the committees to resolve the chronic issues.

He claimed that all the genuine issues will be resolved through the committees within a few months.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2023