Islamabad: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to develop a new commercial area along the GT Road, stretching from EME College to the Nicholson Monument near B-17, on the model of Islamabad’s Blue Area. The proposed commercial area will extend for approximately 16 kilometres, while the project is estimated to generate more than Rs500 billion in revenue for the CDA.

According to a report by Bloom Pakistan, the CDA has started preparations to develop its extensive land along the GT Road for commercial purposes. The report states that the CDA acquired 3,550 kanals of land in 1967. The land comprises a 200-foot-wide strip on both sides of the GT Road and extends for approximately 16 kilometres from EME College to the Nicholson Monument.

According to CDA officials, around 2,000 kanals of the total land could be utilised for commercial purposes after the completion of planning and necessary development works. Officials have estimated that if the land is sold at a minimum indicative rate of Rs750,000 per square yard, it could generate more than Rs500 billion in revenue for the CDA.

The CDA does not intend to sell the entire project in a single phase. According to the report, the commercial project will be launched and monetised in phases, with the available land gradually developed and offered for commercial use.

The ownership of the GT Road and the adjoining land is also an important aspect of the project. The GT Road itself is under the administrative control of the National Highway Authority (NHA), while the 200-foot-wide strips acquired on both sides of the road between EME College and the Nicholson Monument are owned by the CDA. The authority is also carrying out demarcation and anti-encroachment operations to reclaim its land.

According to the report, the CDA has already reclaimed a substantial portion of the land through operations, while action against remaining encroachments is continuing. Permanent structures established on the land have also been identified and may be removed after completion of the required legal procedures.

To finalise the design of the proposed commercial area, CDA Director General Special Planning Ejaz Ahmed Sheikh has constituted a four-member committee. The committee will be headed by Deputy Director General Architecture Ali Abdullah and will finalise the design and other related aspects of the project.

The CDA is also assessing potential commercial demand in the area. According to the report, particular consideration is being given to commercial opportunities for petrol stations and businesses dealing in heavy construction machinery, especially around the Tarnol area.

The Nicholson Monument is a well-known British-era historical memorial located near the historic Margalla Pass along the GT Road. It is also known as the Nicholson Obelisk or Nicholson Memorial. The monument was built in memory of Brigadier General John Nicholson of the British Army and is a prominent historical landmark along the GT Road between Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Taxila.

The proposed CDA project would create an approximately 16-kilometre-long commercial corridor along the GT Road, which is planned to be developed on the model of Blue Area for modern business and commercial activities. The phased commercialisation of the land is estimated to generate more than Rs500 billion in financial resources for the CDA.