Taking charge: New cinemas, cleaner parks to be seen soon

New CDA chairman to prioritise public-interest projects.

ISLAMABAD: Besides expediting work on ongoing projects, the new chairman of the cash strapped Capital Development Authority (CDA), Engineer Farkhand Iqbal, announced to launch some priority public-interest projects in the capital city on Sunday.

Presiding over his first CDA board meeting, the chairman announced to launch new entertainment facilities in the city, up-gradation of markets, improvement of walkways and prioritising cleanliness of avenues and parks.

The chairman said projects to establish new parking plazas, city centres and entertainment facilities including cinemas will be initiated on a priority through public-private partnership, while foreign investment will be sought where suitable. He said that a modern waste collection and disposal system will be put in place, while incineration plants will be set up to treat municipal waste.

The chairman said that encroachments in markets and unhygienic conditions diminish the stature of the city as a modern capital. He vowed to make Islamabad the “cleanest city” of the country.

Iqbal promised that transparency will be ensured in the organisation, adding that all rules and regulations will be followed while executing development projects and discharging official duties. He said that efficient financial management will be ensured through timely reconciliation of accounts and strict monitory discipline.

He said that energy conservation measures will be introduced and efforts will be made to curtail non-development expenditures of the authority.

The chairman said that unnecessary delays are the major cause of escalating costs of development schemes, citing examples Zero Point Interchange and Lehtrar Road projects, which are costing the authority twice the proposed amount due mainly to delays.

He added that continuous monitoring and constant interaction with relevant organisations in all development projects will have a positive impact on the financial health of the civic body.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2011.