| ISLAMABAD-To create an ease for the citizens in getting approval and completion of their building plans, the city managers are going to introduce ‘trilateral intervention’ to make the system efficient and people friendly.
CDA was all set to build a dedicated front desk of the building control section adjacent to its existing citizen facilitation center in addition to engaging a government owned entity to provide trained human resource for the effective enforcement of bylaws.
Meanwhile, the authority has also decided to provide ‘in house’ design and architectural services by utilizing its redundant architecture and structure directorates.
The incumbent Chairman Anwar-ul-Haq is very keen in this regard and he has tasked the concerned formations to make the functions of building control people friendly and efficient on emergent bases.
A plot adjacent to the existing citizen facilitation center at G-7 is earmarked for the purpose, where a single story building would be constructed in next three months on war footing, which will house the front desk of all three building control directorates.
It is pertinent to mention here that at present the building control bylaws are being enforced through building control (city), building control (south) and building control (north) directorates that are mandated to act in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Concerned officials informed that the dedicated front desk would be established on the lines of the corporate sector and citizens would be offered required services in a respectable manner and a system will be evolved where one can get his job done without repeated visits to the authority.
Meanwhile, the authority is also planning to get the services of a government owned entity as a third party to supervise the construction activities across the city and ensure implementation of building bylaws in letter and spirit.
A consultant would be engaged in this regard under section 42/F of PPERA rules, which will provide trained human resource that would help the existing building control staff in scrutiny and approval of maps and reduce the burden on CDA’s own staff.
When contacted, the Director General Building Control Faisal Naeem confirmed that the services of a third party are being obtained but he made it clear that the approving authority would remain same as per building bylaws however the trained human resource would assist the CDA’s own staff. Explaining in house design and architectural services, he informed that we will enable the citizen to select from a set of ready to use designs of the civic authority, which will avoid unnecessary delays in scrutiny and approval of building plans.
Sources, however, informed that as it is a prerequisite that each plan must be prepared by a qualified consultant so that’s why CDA has decided to utilize its architecture and structure directorates for the purpose. The professionals available in these directorates would be assigned a task to provide building plans to the citizen but in line with the relevant rules and regulations subject to the payment of official fee, which has yet to be fixed by the authorities.
Mr. Naeem when asked about this has said yes the proposal is on cards and rates in this regard would keep quite low to the market to incentivize the citizen but the main purpose is to facilitate the citizen and reduce the role of middleman.
Another official informed that a certain portion of the amount collected under this head would also be shared with CDA’s professionals, who would be engaged for this purpose. It is pertinent to mention here that at present, getting approval for even a five marla plot is not an easy task due to complexity of the systems and citizens welcomed the CDA’s initiative to bring aforementioned changes in the system. |
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