| ISLAMABAD - reactionary move to seal five-star Marriott Hotel Islamabad by the Capital Development Authority backfired on Thursday as the Islamabad High Court ordered it to open its sealed premises.
The directorate of building control-city has sealed certain parts of said five-star hotel on Wednesday on account of multiple violations of building bylaws. According to relevant officers, the hotel was running without getting a completion certificate. The hotel management has turned its basement into a storage room while a marquee is also erected illegally in addition to unauthorized constructions in the setbacks. The hotel management was also blamed for creating illegal parking on greenbelt adjacent to the hotel while Rs.160 million were also pending against the hotel which needs to be deposited in the CDA account.
However, some reliable sources informed that the timing of sealing operation against said hotel is highly questionable and apparently it seems a reaction of an unsuccessful auction of hotel plots just a day before. The city managers could not sell two five-star hotel plots as the investors did not show any interest in the auction. CDA held the auction on Tuesday and the investors could deposit their bids till 12pm. However, none of them showed their interest.
Senior officers involved in the auction process informed that the three bidders including Mind Bridge, Nishat Hotel and Properties and Hashoo Group participated in the bidding process but due to a scene created by the representatives of Hashoo Group, rest of two potential bidders avoided to participate.
According to details, the Hashoo Group had offered a bid of Rs250,000 per square yard for a plot located adjacent to the Marriot hotel but the official said that this bid was far below the reserved prices of Rs827,000.
Two other investors did not submit their bids. Therefore, the official said that CDA decided not to accept the bid offered by the Hashoo Group.
Meanwhile, for another plot, the CDA had fixed Rs730,000 per square yard, however, none of the investors showed any interest in this bid.
The very next day of the unsuccessful auction, the city managers came into action and sealed the certain portions of the Marriott Hotel owned by Hashoo Group but it was challenged by the management in Islamabad High Court, which has suspended the CDA’s letter and issued notices to the city managers for next date of hearing.
When contacted, Director Public Relations CDA Shahid Kiani refuted the impression and said the operation was carried out in routine as there were multiple violations of building bylaws by said five-star hotel.
However, in response to a question regarding timing of CDA’s actions, he said it was a coincidence that the hotel was sealed very next to the auction day. |
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