CDA plans crackdown on housing units

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has planned a major crackdown on housing units used for commercial purpose in the city.

The authority will, however, execute the plan after its approval by the Cabinet Division, it is learnt.

A CDA official told Daily Times that the CDA would submit the plan for approval to the Cabinet Division once the new government’s formation completed.

He said the CDA Estate Management (EM) Directorate had created a special cell for crackdown on illegal commercial units owned by influential persons by and large. He said the EM Directorate had also asked the Building Control Structure (BCS) Directorate to update it on people running commercial activity at residential units.

The official said initially, the crackdown would target sectors of F series where non-conforming use of residential houses prevailed the most in the capital.

He said business activity was noticed at the city’s 795 houses of which 325 had been turned into the offices of national and international organisations, 87 into guesthouses, four into restaurants, 255 into schools and 124 into beauty parlours, clinics etc.

The official said the Islamabad Residential Sectors Zoning (Building Control Regulation 2005) had banned use of residential units for commercial purpose and promised Rs500,000 fine for those involved in such an activity.

He said the CDA could cancel allotment of the plot concerned within three months of imposition of fine if commercial activity on it continued.

He said the CDA Deputy Commissioner had imposed Rs32.5 million fine on 65 people for non-conforming use of residential units in last three months but no one had paid the fine. He said the recovery department had been asked to recover fine. He warned non-payment of fine could lead to the plot cancellation.