Proposed layout changes spark environmental and community concerns in Islamabad
Islamabad: The Federal Government Employees Housing Authority’s (FGEHA) Kuri Road housing project has once again come under scrutiny as residents strongly oppose a proposed revision to its layout plan. The Pakistan Housing Authority Foundation (PHAF) has submitted a request to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) seeking approval for over 20 new residential plots and the relocation of 13 existing ones.
Originally launched in 2012 for federal officers of BPS-20 to BPS-22, the scheme was designed with greenbelts, parks, and playgrounds to preserve the area’s environment and livability. Residents, many of them retired senior bureaucrats, argue that carving out additional plots on reserved green spaces would violate the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) cleared by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In a joint statement, residents appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to halt the plan, calling it contrary to his government’s environmental agenda, including the “One daughter, one shajr” campaign.
The CDA, through a public notice on August 11, invited objections from stakeholders, confirming the proposal is under review. Residents warn approval would set a damaging precedent, reducing quality of life and threatening Islamabad’s green character.