CDA-DWP okays hiring of consultant for IJP Road widening

Defers project to build intersection of Seventh Avenue


Iftikhar Chaudhry May 08, 2019
Legal challenges loom over ICT boundaries. PHOTO: INP

ISLAMABAD: Despite claiming to prefer investment in citizens of the country rather than in infrastructure and resource intensive projects such as roads and transport services, the civic authority of the federal capital on Tuesday granted formal approval for the maintenance and repair of several roads in the city and the construction of an intersection on Rawal Chowk on an immediate basis.

However, it deferred a decision on the two

The approval for the projects was given during the 43rd meeting of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Development Working Party (CDA-DWP) on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed while members of the CDA’s board and senior officers of the Planning and Development Division, the interior ministry and other senior officers of the authority.

The authority has approved the project concept-I (PC-I) for the construction of the Orchard Scheme along Murree Road worth Rs.81.159 million.

Similarly, the civic authority approved the PC-II worth Rs27.653 million to hire a consultant for the IJ Principal Road widening project to devise its feasibility study and prepare detailed engineering design for the road’s rehabilitation. The road is a key artery which connects the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The CDA will fund the project itself, however, the CDA-DWP has recommended to charge it through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

CDA plans to rehabilitate, expand IJP Road

 

Owing to frequent traffic jams at on Park Road and at Rawal Dam Chowk, the CDA-DWP has decided to resolve this issue permanently. Hence, a PC-II worth Rs13.827 million has been approved to build an interchange at Rawal Dam Chowk in addition to revamping of Murree Road. The project’s name will be ‘Traffic Management System for Rawal Dam Chowk and Park Road’.

The CDA-DWP also agreed in principle to extend the time for a project to build two underpasses, between Sector G-7 and G-8 and between Sectors F-7 and F-8 on Faisal Avenue. However, the cost and location of the project will remain unchanged.

The authority also deferred approval for building an intersection at Seventh Avenue with Khayaban-e-Suharwardi and Kashmir Highway. Instead, it was decided to grant the consultants more time.

The authority also approved five pedestrian bridges and directed to present a revised PC-I of the project. The issue was presented as an ex-agenda item.

Additionally, the meeting discussed ongoing projects such as Sectors E-12 and Park Enclave and directed to prepare a PC-I after obtaining more details.

Given the importance of both projects, CDA Chairman Ahmed said that the revised PC-I for both projects will be presented within two weeks while the CDA-DWP will reconvene to review three pending initiatives including Park Enclave-I and Sector E-12 development works.

CDA to propose road projects in upcoming DWP meeting

A senior official of CDA said that work on the projects will start immediately on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He added that the federal government had halted funds worth Rs11 billion to build a signal-free corridor from Zero Point to Rawat. He added that the project had been partially completed until Koral Chowk during the tenure of the previous government. The official further said that traffic on road remains congested throughout the day with the Islamabad deputy commissioner directing the traffic police to establish special pickets to maintain the flow of traffic.

However, the official said that this project was not even included in the meeting’s agenda.

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 and was expected to be placed before the meeting for approval.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2019.

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