The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has raised concerns about the Jinnah Garden Housing Scheme’s failure to transfer land designated for public amenities, a key requirement outlined in its approved layout plan.
Located in Zone IV of Islamabad, the cooperative housing society is currently entangled in legal proceedings at the Islamabad High Court. The CDA recently submitted a comprehensive report to the court, highlighting multiple breaches of the layout plan, which will be reviewed in the next hearing.
According to the report, the Phase I extension of Jinnah Garden, covering 1,826 kanals, received CDA approval in 2021 under specific terms and conditions. However, the society’s operators have yet to transfer land allocated for parks, playgrounds, open spaces, graveyards, and roadways to the civic body.
The CDA pointed out that the operators were required to fulfill this obligation within 45 days of approval. Additionally, they were supposed to mortgage 20% of the saleable land with the CDA as a financial guarantee for completing development work, but this condition also remains unmet.
Further deficiencies noted in the report include the absence of a sewage treatment plant and a proper solid waste management system.
The layout plan for Phase II, spanning 1,066 kanals across Mouza Jabbi Gakhran, Chak Kamdar, Nara Syedan, and Kahuta Road, was approved by the CDA in October 2023 under certain conditions. However, the land designated for public parks and playgrounds has not been transferred, and the 20% mortgaging requirement remains incomplete.
Additionally, the CDA claims that critical documents, including the environmental report and waste management plan, have not been submitted by the housing society.
In December 2023, the CDA received a request for approval of a revised and extended combined layout plan covering 6,757 kanals for both Phase I and its extension. However, the housing society failed to provide the necessary supporting documents.
A CDA site visit on January 16, 2024, revealed unauthorized development in Blocks E and G, along with the illegal construction of a marquee in Block F. The authority has now ordered an immediate halt to all unauthorized development and instructed the operators to dismantle structures violating the approved plan.
Moreover, a complaint was lodged stating that 204 kanals of land originally reserved for parks, playgrounds, and a hospital had been exchanged with the Naval Anchorage Housing Scheme. The CDA has directed the scheme’s operators to submit a detailed report explaining the removal of these reserved plots.
With multiple violations and legal battles underway, the fate of the Jinnah Garden Housing Scheme remains uncertain as the CDA tightens its grip on regulatory compliance.
Get the latest news and stories wherever you prefer.
Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.