ISLAMABAD: City managers’ recent action of allowing bifurcation of agro farms is being considered a favour to big guns who have huge farmhouses in Zone IV.

The move may impact the green character of the city as now more and more bungalows would be constructed on the land allotted for the production of agri products.

The bylaws were formulated by civic agency’s planning wing, which were also approved by the CDA board a few months ago. However, the CDA took several months to officially notify them, and a few weeks ago, the civic body got them published in the Gazette of Pakistan.

The CDA had allotted 551 agro farms of various sizes, majority of them located in Zone IV (463) with 17 each in Zone I and Zone V.

According to the bylaws and regulations which were notified in 2020, there was a ban on sub-division of agriculture plots located in Zone IV.

However, in the revised by-laws ‘The Islamabad Capital Territory Building Control Regulations 2020 - as amended in 2023’ - the subdivision has been allowed for all. The CDA got the same bylaws notified in the Gazette of Pakistan on August 16, sources revealed.

Now, the owners could get their land divided into two parts of 2.5 acres each (20 kanals each) in Zone IV. The new bylaws say only one subdivision is allowed for a plot of five acres.

As per bylaws, “floor area ratio/covered area of both sub-divided plots shall not exceed the original permissible covered area for un-divided plot. Its means that there will be no increase in permissible covered area (9,500 legal and 2,500 with fine) after sub-division. However, the owners could carry out construction on both sub-divided plots by dividing the covered area to 4,750 sq feet for one plot. This relaxation will lead to construction of more houses.”

Sources in the CDA said since 1970 the civic agency had launched the agro schemes for cultivation of vegetables, fruits, flowers and poultry. These farms are located in various areas, including Park Road Chak Shahzad, Kahuta Road, Murree Road, Tarlai Kalan, Sehana and H-9.

The CDA had allotted majority of the plots against nominal charges while the numbers of plots were also issued to land affected people. Besides, around two dozen plots were auctioned.

However, instead of contributing to the need of the city’s population for agriculture and poultry products, these farms, particularly those along Murree Road and Chak Shahzad, were used for luxury housing.

It is relevant to note here that the owners of farmhouses are authorised to carry out construction on 9,500 square feet while 2,500 sq feet of extra construction is compoundable.

Following amendments to bylaws, owners of orchards will plant fruit trees - 150 per acre - and there will be intensive cultivation of vegetables on 80pc of the land. Similarly, owners of poultry farms will have 4,500 broilers per month and 9,000 layer chickens at a time with egg production of 5,000 per day.

Sources said building houses on the permitted 12,500 square feet (9,500 authorised and 2,500 with fine) initially allowed construction on only 2,250 sq ft. The owners showed little interest in cultivation - the main reason the lands on the outskirts of the capital were allotted to them at nominal prices.

Sources in the CDA said majority of the original owners had sold their farms mostly to people from the elite class.

According to a CDA document, out of the total 551 agriculture farms, 150 have already been sub-divided in the past.

As per the civic body’s written reply, which was tabled in the Senate last year, owners of vegetable farms were supposed to grow vegetables on 80pc of the leased land.

When contacted, CDA’s spokesperson Syed Safdar Ali Shah confirmed to Dawn that new bylaws had been notified in the Gazette of Pakistan.

When asked about allowing subdivision in all schemes, the spokesperson, after getting the input from the planning wing, took a new stance and stated that the subdivision of farmhouses was allowed years ago and that it was nothing new.

“The sub-division is allowed up to 20 kanals. The minimum size of a farmhouse is 20 kanals. The subdivision to this extent has been in practice for the last 30 years i.e. since 1992. There is nothing new in this regard,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2023