Incentive-based policy for businesses on major roads planned
ISLAMABAD: In order to keep residential areas clean from unbridled commercial activities, the city managers have devised incentives-based proposed policy for setting up of some specific business ventures on major roads of the capital.
The civic agency has formulated a new policy for encouraging private businesses such as schools, showrooms, automobile workshops, hospitals, hostels and nurseries on nine major roads instead of in residential areas.
Under the new policy, the CDA as an incentive will not charge the owners of land for setting up the said business in the name of land use conversion, rather they will be asked to deposit a nominal annual licence fee.
Sources said the new policy will be placed before the CDA board meeting for final approval on Friday (today).
Land use conversion fee will be waived and a nominal annual fee will be charged from operators, says official
The operators will be asked to start their businesses along the nine major roads while maintaining high quality standards in planning, architecture and construction.
The sources said whenever Capital Development Authority (CDA) tries to remove any business, its operator questions the civic agency about a proper and planned area for the business.
“Under the new policy, the land use conversion fee will be waived and a nominal annual fee will be charged to keep a regulatory check,” said an official.
“In the absence of any alternative solution, many markets such as G-7 Markaz (Khada market) is almost completely being used by automobile workshop owners. Similarly, a major portion of G-8 Markaz is being used by car showroom dealers. The operation of hundreds of schools in residential areas is also a chronic issue. Similarly, hostels are being operated in residential areas,” said an official, adding after this policy the CDA will encourage people to gradually shift their businesses towards the proper destination [nine roads],” the official said.
He said recently during a meting, which was chaired by CDA chief Noorul Amin Mengal, it was proposed that there should be a waiver in the land use conversion fee for encouraging the businesses on major roads.
According to new proposed policy, one kanal is required for setting up automobile business and two kanals for setting up show rooms. Similarly, four kanals is required for setting up private schools and four kanals for private hospitals. Whereas two kanals is required for hostels and same quantum of land for Fintech-IT business. Businesses of nurseries and bus terminals will also be encouraged on the said roads.
The nine major roads, where the businesses are to be allowed under new policy, are Islamabad Highway, Park Road (in zone four only), Grand Trunk Road in zone 2 and 5) Lehtrar Road, Kahuta Road, FetehJang Road, Murree Road and IJP Road.
An official of the civic agency said if the civic agency gradually managed to clean the residential areas from the the business ventures, the new policy would be highly appreciable. He said that the CDA should also devise a timeline to move out commercial ventures from the residential areas.
“In the past, we allotted plots in sector I-10 for automobile workshops and the basic purpose was to shift the workshops from various markets to I-10, but the workshops are still operating in the market as well,” the official said and added that there should be proper implementation of the bylaws to remove commercial activities from the residential sectors.
Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2023