IAP requests CDA to revise federal capital’s master plan

In order to maintain its charm and the accolade of being one of the most well-planned capital cities across the world, Islamabad needs a rigorous master plan that is designed and implemented according to the changing demographics of the city. Due to rampant urbanisation and an increase in population, Islamabad is running short of facilities for its residents.

Furthermore, the building bylaws set by the CDA also require some revision to maintain the beautiful landscape of the city. These are some of the issues recently identified by the members of the Institute of Architects of Pakistan (IAP) and expert urban planners.

The proposals were given with an intention to bring Islamabad at par with major metropolises of the world. These experts from the construction and urban planning sectors reiterated that master plans of the growing cities require revision after a certain period of time but in the case of Islamabad, this hasn’t been done in the last 20 years. Furthermore, Islamabad is not at all pedestrian friendly as it lacks proper footpaths and walkways along almost all major roads.

Looking at the traffic situation on major avenues, pedestrians face a hard time crossing the roads. The IAP officials also pointed out that traffic engineering and traffic planning are two separate things and require proper education and training but in the case of Islamabad, the traffic police, which is supposed to enforce traffic laws only, is handling both. The members of the institute highlighted that there are no warning signs hinting at barriers and obstacles placed on roads for traffic diversion.

In addition to these flaws in the road infrastructure and traffic management mechanism in the federal capital, the institute also raised concerns about building bylaws, which apparently are not set with their long-term impact in mind. IAP requested the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to change these bylaws to control urban sprawl in the capital territory and at the same time ensure that the floor-area ratio (FAR) of residential projects is homogenous across the board. The officials of IAP highlighted the fact that the structure of utility services in the capital city cannot meet the requirements of high-rise buildings.

IAP urged the CDA to ban all rooftop billboards as well as roadside billboards to keep and maintain the beauty this city is typically known for. The members of IAP also requested the civic authority to build public toilets in parks and residential and commercial areas of Islamabad. IAP offered its services for the implementation of these important changes in the city’s revised master plan, and asked the CDA to utilise the expertise of professional architects and urban planners.