The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has announced decisive measures to address the misuse of amenity plots by private housing societies in Islamabad. In a meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa on Wednesday, it was decided that the civic agency will take over possession of all amenity plots that have been transferred to its name but remain under the control of private developers.
Private housing schemes are required to transfer land designated for amenities, such as parks and schools, to the CDA to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC). However, reports indicate that some societies are selling these plots instead of transferring them to the civic body. To combat this malpractice, the CDA has tasked its newly established Directorate of Estate Management III with overseeing these plots to ensure their proper utilisation.
Chairman Randhawa directed the planning wing to create a detailed inventory of all transferred amenity plots where possession remains pending. He also instructed the issuance of notices to societies for violations of approved layout plans and initiated steps for recovering dues from defaulters.
The meeting also emphasised the need to address the proliferation of unauthorised housing schemes in the capital. Out of 65 approved housing schemes, many have yet to comply with regulations to transfer amenity plots to the CDA. Additionally, over 100 unauthorised housing societies are operating without approval.
The CDA has directed its planning wing to expedite the mapping of all unauthorised societies. These societies will be evaluated for potential regularisation based on recommendations from the master plan commission. Societies that fail to meet the criteria will face strict action. Development activities in private housing schemes will be monitored using Google and satellite imagery to detect violations of layout plans.
This crackdown follows years of concerns about Islamabad’s unregulated housing sector. In 2016, the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice identified the CDA’s lax enforcement as a major factor behind the mushroom growth of illegal housing schemes. Reports from the committee, adopted by the Senate in 2016 and by the CDA in 2018, recommended accommodating layout plan violations through amended regulations while strictly preserving public parks.
The Senate also recommended acquiring land adjacent to housing schemes for use as public parks and graveyards to mitigate the impact of unauthorised development. These recommendations, however, remain largely unimplemented.
In August 2021, the federal cabinet formed a committee to devise an effective policy for regularising irregular housing schemes across Islamabad. This policy is still under consideration, with no significant progress reported.
The CDA’s renewed efforts aim to enforce compliance and ensure proper use of amenity land. Chairman Randhawa has called for expediting surveys in all private housing societies to identify violations and enforce regulations.
The civic agency reaffirmed its commitment to preserving green areas and public parks, emphasising that no compromise will be made on these critical spaces.
This comprehensive crackdown seeks to restore order in Islamabad’s housing sector while safeguarding public amenities and green spaces for future generations.
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