Short-term plans: CDA aligns priorities to share with new government

The civic agency has prepared a plan for various development projects to present.

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has finalised a short-term plan of action that will be presented to the new PML-N government.

Issues related to portable water, widening of existing road infrastructure, public transport, encroachments and opening of new and stalled residential sectors have been prioritised in the plan of action worth billions of rupees.



Rehabilitation of water lines

According to details shared by a senior Engineering Wing official, a plan worth Rs11 billion aimed to rehabilitate damaged water supply pipelines — which caused wastage of 30 per cent of the 60-70 million gallons of water supplied daily — has been given priority.

“Islamabad needs 200 million gallons of water per day, while the existing supply is only 60-70 million gallons per day. The water supply network is more than 40 years old and results in wastage of 30 per cent of the total supplied,” CDA Engineering Member Sanaullah Aman said. . The CDA has planned to upgrade the water supply network at a cost of Rs11 million to resolve water leakages, he added.

Aman elaborated that the six inch wide old sewerage lines have also become overburdened and need rehabilitation.

Installation of sewerage treatment plants

Aman said that five mini-sewerage treatment plants would also be installed around Islamabad as part of the rehabilitation plan to resolve sewerage related issues. Similarly, an old plan to draw 100 million gallons of water per day from the Indus River System has also been made part of the water and sewerage plan. He said water metering will also be introduced under the plan.



Widening existing road Infrastructure

To make Islamabad a signal-free city, the Engineering Wing has also forwarded a proposal to build two new avenues, a bypass from Margalla Avenue to Murree Road, two interchanges, three flyovers, and the addition of additional lanes on both sides of IJP Road have also been made part of the plan.

“An interchange will be constructed on Peshawar Mor and a flyover at the intersection of IJP Road and 9th Avenue,” Aman said.

The widening of existing road infrastructure plan is not new and has been an unmet agency goal for years.

Transport plan

The short-term plan that will be presented to the government also includes fast-track work on the Bus Rapid Transit Project in collaboration with Asian Development Bank. The ADB and CDA have already completed a pre-feasibility study for the project.

Similarly, the establishment of a National Bus Terminal in Sector I-11 has also been included in the list of prioritised projects.

“The provision of decent transport facilities to the residents of Islamabad has been given a top priority in the short-term plan in a bid to address a longstanding demand from residents,” CDA Planning Member Mustafain Kazmi said.

Opening new and stalled sectors

To overcome the housing shortage in the federal capital, the re-launching of Sector I-15 has also been suggested in the CDA’s plan. The sector was approved by the federal government almost 21 years ago in November 1992, but for one reason or another, it has yet to be opened.

Similarly, new residential sectors C-15 and C-16 are also focused on in the short-term plan.

The establishment of a new business hub in Sector I-12, issues related to encroachments of CDA land, powerful land grabbers, and private housing societies are also discussed in the plan.

“Bad planning wilfully done in the past resulted in the realignment of the under-construction Margalla Avenue to accommodate influential land holders in the area. The creation of small public amenity plots in proposed sectors will also be discussed during the maiden presentation to the new government,” Kazmi said.

Environment-related issues

Environment Member Ahsan Ali Mangi said the Environment Wing was not going to initiate any new pricey large-scale projects, but added that the remodelling of Marghazar Zoo and addition of new animals to the zoo, setting up a landfill, rehabilitation and proper maintenance of some 138 parks across Islamabad, preservation of Margalla Hills National Park, adherence to building codes, and the establishment of a botanical garden are some issues the wing has been prioritising.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2013.