Master plan violations lead to worsening of Islamabad flooding

Islamabad's flash flooding is exacerbated by the Capital Development Authority's (CDA) failure to enforce the city's master plan effectively. The authority's negligence has coincided with the city's flooding problems over the past several years. On Tuesday, flash floods struck three areas: E-11 sector, Park Road near Comsats, and Ghauri Town, leaving no casualties this time due to earlier measures taken by the city administration to seal at-risk houses.

The nullahs, or drainage channels, in these areas have been altered or narrowed down by private entities for construction, causing water to overflow. Specifically, the nullah in E-11 sector was reduced from 40 feet to 18 feet, creating a bottleneck that leads to flooding. Another nullah in the same sector had also been squeezed, leading to water gushing out.

The 1960 master plan proposed the construction of Lohi Bher Lake to store water and prevent flooding, but the CDA never took action to acquire the land for its construction. As a result, the site is now part of two private housing societies, and the rainwater accumulates on major roads and sectors. The CDA chairman has announced plans to construct check dams and build a new nullah to store rainwater and prevent future flooding.