The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has allowed maximum relaxations of rules and bylaws to a few prominent hotels situated within the limits of Islamabad capital territory (ICT). According to the documents available with Business Recorder, the CDA has admitted that more conducive relaxations have been allowed to Serena and Holiday Inn Hotels in respect of floor area ratio [FAR], permission of setbacks in construction, and permission for basement and high-rise as well as parking space.
However, at the same time the CDA seems reluctant to provide the same 'favours' to Marriott Hotel, which resulted in litigation between the CDA and Hashwani Group, the owner of Marriot Hotels. After the terrorist attack on Marriott Hotel in the year 2008, the local police provided security arrangements and with the permission of CDA and local administration, the ordinary pick-up and drop off was being practised outside the hotel.
Talking to this correspondent, an official of Marriot Hotel said since suitable security arrangements lack in the city, Marriot Hotel is constrained to take measures for safety of foreign and local guests. There are a number of public and private sector organisations in the vicinity of Red Zone which have made similar security arrangements.
The CDA, however, claimed that Holiday Inn is situated in G-6 Markaz and in that sector 100 percent coverage of the plot area is allowed by CDA after auction, meeting the terms and conditions. Similarly, the plot of Serena Hotel was auctioned at much later point of time. Therefore, the terms and conditions as well as the price of the plot were all together different. Whereby, the vacant plot adjacent to Marriott Hotel, which is being used as car parking, has been earmarked for a five-star hotel and going to be openly auctioned in accordance with Board's decision. The CDA maintained that it has never authorised construction of VIP drop off lane while ignoring the violations of law.