Good news for the people of Islamabad as they will now have the option to expedite the approval of their residential or commercial building plans by paying an additional fee. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has set up express desks for faster processing, with residential plans being approved within two days and commercial maps within three days.
Previously, the approval process for building plans took around 21 days under the ICT Building Regulations 2020. However, due to staff shortages and an influx of applications, many citizens faced delays in getting their maps approved. To address this issue, the CDA has decided to establish a facilitation center where people can directly submit their building plans and relevant documents.
In the initial phase, residential plots of up to 60×90 square feet in CDA sectors and approved housing schemes will be processed within two days. Commercial plots of 500 square meters with a covered area of less than 10,000 square feet will be approved within three days.
In addition to the regular scrutiny fees, applicants will have to pay additional fees for the expedited service. The urgent fee for a 365 square yard residential plot will be Rs20,000, while for larger plots it will be Rs30,000. For a 5,000-square-foot plot, the urgent fee will be Rs50,000, and for larger plots, it will be Rs. 75,000.
To ensure a smooth and efficient process, a one-window system will be established at the facilitation center. Three express desks will be set up, each managed by an assistant director. Estate management officers will also be available at the desks. Special allowances will be given to the officers and staff involved in the fast-track approval process.
The CDA board has approved this plan, which aims to save citizens’ time and reduce the hassle of obtaining building plan approvals.
