Islamabad Mayor and CDA Chairman meets the press and makes important announcements

Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz, who is also Capital Development Authority Chairman met the press on Sunday and shared his vision of Islamabad and how he plans to go about achieving it. During this meet up, various matters regarding how the CDA would do better under his reign and what felonies persisted within the department before he took the charge were discussed. I am intentionally ignoring that part and highlighting just those that concern me as a real estate writer.

While addressing Meet the Press – an event organized by the National Press Club Islamabad – Aziz said that he is committed to not just making Islamabad an exemplary capital of the world, as envisioned by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but a developed city with no discrimination practiced between urban and rural territories. For this purpose, he plans to lease contracts for solid waste management. Deputy Mayor Islamabad, who also attended this meeting, said that in order to curb illegal construction in which CDA building bylaws aren’t followed, Islamabad Building Control Authority will be formed. This authority will review such developments and find a workable solution to address this issue.

In response to a question regarding the financial situation of the CDA, the mayor said that authority will launch new CDA sectors in one month to fix the financial crises. Aziz also said a massive campaign will be launched against the encroachments in the federal capital. Furthermore, he also affirmed that the basic infrastructure in the city needs an uplift, which will be done phase-wise. Talking about the maintenance of public facilities, Aziz said a monitoring committee will be formed after the CDA improves the condition of public parks and playgrounds.

He also told the press that hurdles seen in the expansion of Margalla Road are being removed and to ensure steady flow of traffic and assist pedestrians, overhead bridges will be constructed. When asked about the underdeveloped the CDA sectors that were announced in 1989, Aziz said that development work in these sectors will be completed on a priority basis. Shedding light on the ongoing infrastructural developments, Aziz said the Islamabad Expressway project cannot be completed before June 2017 as the CDA faces a shortage of funds. Furthermore, he informed the press that the Bhara Kahu Bypass project will be initiated soon while the CDA has also decided to add new underpasses and link roads on Kashmir Highway.

From this discussion, we have learned that Islamabad Expressway will take a while before it can make the neighbouring housing societies more attractive for investors and also that the CDA is looking for ways to arrange for finances in order to keep these projects rolling. And for this purpose, new sectors will be launched within one month. Since the CDA is already short on funds, the new sectors will take their sweet time being developed.

If you have been following the activities of the new CDA Chairman, who has lately received a lot of press coverage, and have an opinion on the authority’s plan for Islamabad, feel free to use the comments section below.