Of the 28 projects CDA is working on currently, it has failed to meet deadlines in 16 of them. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
Red-tape, financial challenges and a culture of missed deadlines have dogged the capital’s civic agency which has resulted in delays in more than half of the ongoing projects of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
Inordinate delay, not only in low-scale projects but also in mega developmental projects, has adversely affected CDA’s financial health due to cost escalation.
Of the 28 projects CDA is working on currently, it has failed to meet deadlines in 16 of them. While in around five projects, on-site work has been completed, but accounts are yet to be settled due to non-availability of funds.
The pace of work is too slow on the rest of the projects, which are supposed to be completed by mid-2013 and it looks like the CDA will miss more deadlines.
Kashmir Highway
The Rs3.3 billion Kashmir Highway widening project was supposed to be completed in February. The project which envisages a five-lane highway from Peshawar Mor to Golra Mor Islamabad was kicked off in February 2011.
The highway will provide fast access to the new under-construction airport, motorway and a proposed wholesale market at Sangjani.
The contract for the first section was awarded for Rs1.65 billion to a consortium of three firms while work on the second section was outsourced to a firm for Rs1.67 billion.
Around 40 per cent of the work has been completed on the second section, while only 10 per cent work has been completed on the first section. The federal government is supposed to provide half of the total cost of the project to CDA. For fiscal year 2012-13, it had allocated Rs452.2 million.
Park Enclave
Park Enclave, a heavily publicised project failed to take off. The housing project, initiated in July 2011, was supposed to be completed by last July, but even the boundary wall is still incomplete.
Development work was divided into six phases, namely the construction of boundary wall, access roads, gate house and security pickets, infrastructure development, construction of sewerage treatment plant and building works.
Zero Point Interchange
Though the facility was inaugurated by former premier Gilani in 2011, it is yet to be completed. The Rs4.148 billion project was initiated in 2008. The contractor owing to outstanding dues amounting to Rs60 million has slowed the pace of work on the monument loop. However, just 2 per cent of the work is left.
Margalla Avenue
The Rs1.043 billion Margalla Avenue project, inaugurated last May, aimed to connect sector D-12 with the Grand Trunk Road. Owing to a controversy generated over the ownership of land between the CDA and the Punjab government, there has been no progress on the project site, since last November. So far, only 22 per cent of the work has been completed while the deadline is in June.
And some more
Other projects that have been delayed include construction of additional family suites for parliamentarians for Rs2.9 billion, development of Marghzar Zoo for Rs1.4 billion, Rs863.7 million to develop Sector D-12, Rs641.5 million to develop Bari Imam shrine, construction of Cultural Complex Shakarparian for Rs1.3 billion, G-10 Ladies Club, Citizens Club and installation of cybernetic dancing fountains costing Rs43.7 million.
When contacted CDA spokesperson Ramzan Sajid said the management had prioritised timely completion of projects. “Outstanding dues have been cleared and contractors have been asked to expedite the work,” he said.
Out of 28 projects worth Rs15.1 billion, 10 projects worth Rs9.4 billion were initiated by the Engineering Wing, six projects worth Rs4.2 billion by the Planning Wing, while 10 projects worth Rs1.2 billion were undertaken by the Environment Wing.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2013.
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