Federal capital may get its own ring road project

Around Rs7b venture to connect remote areas

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: The federal capital is likely to get a ring-road project like Rawalpindi, officials said on Saturday.

According to documents seen by The Express Tribune, after Rawalpindi ring road, the government has prepared a project of constructing another ring road in Islamabad on the same design.

The cost of the project has been estimated to be around Rs7 billion while the proposed length of the dual-carriage inter-city road will be 30 kilometres.

Under the proposed project, the motorists will reach Pakistan Secretariat through Sangjani, Shah Allahdtta, Margalla Road, sectors of F series. The road length from GT Road to Margalla will be 10 kms.

The road will also link Bara Kahu and Kalar Syedan while it will also provide an easy route to the vehicles entering federal capital from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Hazara Division.

The construction of the ring roads in the twin cities will help lessen the pressure of the heavy traffic on cities' throughfares as both roads will be used to connect with motorways and GB road.

The foundation stones for both roads will be laid in the first quarter of 2020.

Capital Hospital

Work has started in full-swing to complete the long-delayed additional block of Capital Hospital.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has directed its Works Wing to expedite construction work at the additional block of Capital Hospital for in time completion of the project, the authority said in a statement on Saturday.

The development work was under progress whereas after completing excavation, work on lean concrete had been started, said CDA spokesperson in a press release.

Construction of additional block at the health facility was started in September and now it was shaping up as excavation for the building had already been completed while lean concrete placing and binding of reinforcement steel of raft footing was underway.

Effective monitoring was being carried out to ensure quality and pace of work as well, he said while updating the current status of the project.

Moreover, he said in line with the instructions of the authorities , construction work was being mostly carried out after outdoor patient door (OPD) hours or at time when hospital had comparatively low inflow of patients. "Proper cordoning of the construction area has also been ensured for the safety of patients visiting the hospital so that they have to face no difficulties due to construction activities," he added.

Like many other projects, construction of additional block at CDA Hospital remained on cards for years, however, incumbent management realizing the importance of this project, not only allocated funds for the project rather removed hurdles and formally launched the work on the project in order to provide improved medical facilities to the patients.

"Additional block will be five-storey building and will have 100 beds facility, which includes air-conditioning, electrical work and installation of generators and other allied facilities. . Furthermore, intensive care units (ICUs) and coronary care units (CCUs) will be established in this block. The project's estimated cost is Rs 168million," he added.

He went on to mention that the construction of additional block at CDA hospital would not only facilitate thousands of CDA's serving and retired employees rather facilitate private patients with latest medical facilities. However, instructions were issued to the concerned formation of Engineering wing to ensure effective monitoring to continue quality work at the project, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2019.