ISLAMABAD: An alleged major blunder made by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the federal government decades ago of making a selective change in the master plan of the city deprived residents of Islamabad of a railways network and centralised transportation centre.

According to the city’s master plan prepared in 1960, sector I-8 was reserved for the main railway station where trains covering distance from GT Road Rawat, via Expressway were supposed to stop over in this sector and then moved to another proposed station in sector I-11 before moving outside of the city.

Similarly, CDA officials Dawn spoke to said that sector 1-8 was supposed to have a central transportation centre, having general bus stand and goods transport stands but a blunder made by CDA and the federal government back in 1985, spoiled the original master plan, as instead of using this sector as a transportation centre, it was made residential sector.

Before 1985, following the original master plan, CDA officials said that there was a general bus stand and depot of GTS bus service in sub-sector I-8/2.

Illegal Faisal Movers bus terminal at Chungi No 26 demolished

However, the residential sector was carved out mainly to accommodate bureaucrats including CDA officers, depriving the city of basic needs of the railway network and general bus stands, etc.

Since then, the capital has no railway network for residents of Islamabad nor general bus stands like other cities. This resulted in the growth of small legal and illegal bus terminals on private land and in some cases partially on CDA’s land.

One such illegal bus terminal on state land was demolished on Friday.

Meanwhile, an official said that there was no justification for encroaching upon state land and stern action should be taken against all encroachers, who are allegedly operating bus terminals on encroached land of CDA in different areas of the city.

But CDA should also take steps to provide proper general bus stands and a railways network to facilitate residents of Islamabad.

Since sector I-8 was a transportation sector in the master plan prepared by Greek Firm Doxiadis Associates, there was a proposed railway station in the middle of the sector, which was later on made markaz (main commercial area) of the sector.

“Since, we made this markaz in place of railway station, that’s why it is different from other sectors and also facing parking issues, as it was not originally designed as markaz,” said an official of CDA.

When contacted, Director General Planning Arshad Chohan said that incumbent management of the CDA had been taking various steps on transport and railway networks. “I do agree, after bringing about change in sector I-8 status, alternative solution should have been provided,” he added.

However, on special instruction of prime minister, interior minister and CDA chairman, the planning wing has been working on all these issues to provide decent transport and railways facility to the public of Islamabad,“ he said and added that electric buses have already arrived in Islamabad, which will start operation soon.

“We are also working on intra-city railway network and cable car projects,” the DG planning said.

Faisal Mover terminal demolished

CDA’s revenue team led by Deputy Commissioner Sardar Asif and the enforcement wing conducted the operation against the Faisal Mover bus terminal at Chungi number 26, retrieving land worth billions of rupees.

According to CDA, this illegal terminal was operating on five-kanal commercial land of CDA worth Rs 10 billion for years.

The DC CDA also a few days ago also took action against two petrol pumps located adjacent to the terminal for allegedly encroaching upon CDA’s land.

“Today, we retrieved five kanal commercial land along G.T. Road and the value of this prime land is almost 10 billion rupees,” said an official from the revenue directorate, adding that ongoing operation to retrieve state land in Islamabad would continue.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2024