CDA to propose road projects in upcoming DWP meeting

Officials say projects included in agenda on directions of Awan

ISLAMABAD: Despite claiming to prefer investment in citizens of the country rather than in big-ticket projects such as roads and transport services, the civic authority of the federal capital has decided in principle to start work on the maintenance and repair of six roads in the city and the construction of an intersection on Rawal Chowk on an emergency basis.

This decision has apparently been made on the directives of the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority Affairs and MNA from Islamabad Ali Nawaz Awan.

CDA sources said that formal approval for the project is expected to be sought during a meeting of Capital Development Authority (CDA) Development Working Party (CDA-DWP) which is scheduled to be held later in the week on May 3.

The authority has developed a project concept-I (PC-I) for the construction of the Orchard Scheme along Murree Road.

Similarly, the civic authority has decided to maintain, repair and widen the IJ Principal Road, a key artery which connects the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. In this regard, a project concept-II (PC-II) of hiring consultants to devise feasibility studies and detailed engineering plans for rehabilitating and widening of the road was prepared which will be now placed before the CDA-DWP for approval.

Owing to frequent traffic jams at Rawal Chowk, the CDA management has decided to resolve this issue permanently. Hence, an interchange has been proposed to be built at Rawal Chowk in addition to revamping of Murree Road.

A PC-II for hiring consultants to devise a feasibility study and detailed engineering design for building the interchange and devise a proposal for the maintenance of Murree Road from Faizabad to Serena Chowk has been prepared. These proposals will also be placed before the meeting for approval.

To resolve traffic issues at the intersection of Seventh Avenue with Khayaban-e-Suharwardi and Kashmir Highway, a grade separation facility will be built at the intersection. Proposals for building this facility will also be presented for approval in the CDA-DWP meeting.

Moreover, approval of miscellaneous infrastructure works in Sector G-5 will be solicited in the meeting.

Additionally, an extension of timelines in the execution of other pending projects such as Sectors E-12, I-15 and Park Enclave will also be discussed in this meeting, so that advertisement for development works can be floated after completion of all formalities

A senior CDA officer, when contacted by The Express Tribune, confirmed that projects for the construction and repair of six roads in the city have been finalised and that approval for these projects will be sought in the upcoming CDA-DWP meeting.

The official added that the projects had been included in the agenda of the meeting on the directions of Awan.

Land acquisition for jail

The federal ombudsperson, on the directions of Supreme Court (SC), had directed all provincial governments to set up a district prison in each district.

As per the documents available with The Express Tribune, the federal interior ministry stated that 720 Kanals of land has been acquired in Sector H-16 for the construction of a model jail. Its PC-I worth of Rs3.9 billion had already been approved of which Rs1.14 billion have been released.

The funds are being used to build the administration block, a boundary wall, block for men and other sections of the prison. The project is expected to be completed by June 30, 2020.

The Punjab home ministry stated that almost all districts of the province had prisons, except Chiniot, Nanakana Sahib and Khushab.

The ministry further stated that they were in the process of acquiring land to build the Rawalpindi District Jail.

In Sindh, the government was in the process of building prisons in Thatta and Shaheed Benazirabad while the Malir jail was being extended to accommodate an additional thousand prisoners.

The Sindh Home Ministry further stated that the construction of jails in West Karachi, Tharparkar, Qambar Shahdadkot, and Kandhkot in Kashmore will be included in the next annual development programme.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General (IG) of Jails stated 21 out of the 25 districts in the province had prisons while facilities were being built in three districts under the current annual development programme.

Construction of a prison in the remaining district is expected to be included in next year’s fiscal budget.

The Balochistan Home Ministry stated that on average, some 10 to 15 people were imprisoned in the judicial lockups of remote districts such as Ziarat, Dakki and others, therefore, no new jail was required to accommodate them.

However, the ministry termed it essential to build a district jail in Chaman, Panjgur, Dera Allah Yar and Kalat.

The report stated that the construction of a jail in Killa Saifullah, Harnai and Gwadar was under progress where separate barracks for women and children were being built.

The ministry also pleaded to allocate funds for resuming work on the central jail in Loralai.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM SHABBIR HUSSAIN 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2019.