CDA officials have forwarded a set of proposals to Engineering Wing in a bid to rectify the problem. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID
Water finds a way, as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) seems to have learnt recently.
The city managers are perturbed over the sudden eruption of a natural spring in the middle of Islamabad Highway near Zero Point.
Water gushing out of the highway under the Zero Point Bridge accumulates and spreads across almost half of the road leading towards Faizabad, causing immense inconvenience to commuters.
“The accumulation of water at Islamabad Highway was first reported some two weeks ago. At first, we thought it may have been caused by a broken underground water pipeline, so we asked the Water Management Wing to inspect the site for leakages,” said an official of the CDA’s Engineering Wing.
But the reply was surprising as they claimed no underground water lines exist at the site, or even around the affected area, the official added.
After officials responded in the negative, they were asked to recheck the area for abandoned water lanes. The answer was the same.
“To determine the water’s source, a two-metre long trench was dug up along the affected portion of the road towards Shakarparian Hills. We were astonished as there was no sign of water. Even the soil was dry,” said the official, adding it strengthened doubts that underground water found its way to the highway.
Explaining the phenomenon, the official said there was a possibility that the recent heavy monsoon rains may have created an underground water reservoir in the Shakarparian Hills, which resulted in the passage of water near the area.
After conducting a comprehensive investigation, officials forwarded a set of proposals to overcome the issue to high ups of the civic agency’s Engineering Wing.
The first and most viable proposal includes the installation of perforated pipes, commonly known as a French drain — a trench covered with gravel or rock that redirects groundwater away from an area — under the road.
“However, it’s not as simple as it sounds. It requires digging up almost half of one of the capital’s busiest roads near Zero Point. The move, if given the go-ahead, is likely to cause major disturbances to traffic flow,” the official said.
He added the pipes would be installed with an opening at a stream running along the Islamabad Highway.
The second option is to ‘wait and see’. “The Met Office has predicted that the ongoing spell of rain would end on September 17, after which the area is expected to remain relatively dry,” said the official.
He added the CDA has been advised to wait for around 20 days. The third option suggests that the services of a hydrologist be engaged to study the area’s underground water table and track its movement path.
“Further action would be taken on the hydrologist’s recommendations upon completion of the study. However, this option is likely to be hectic and costly,” the official said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2013.
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These kind of water eruptions are called "Artisan wells" Such a well existed near Saidpur village during early years of Pakistan.This water can be effectively stored in a tank which may be built at a suitable place by CDA, and the water can be used for public use. F.R Siddiqi Ex Federal member of IRSA
Dear Danish Hussain saab...
This problem has existed for about 5 years now. The CDA does not acknowledge this, but several of the planners had warned against this during the development of the housing schemes on either side of the highway from Iqbal town down to Khanna Pul. There existed natural channels from which water would disperse away to other surrounding lakes and streams. Due to the lobbying and back-scratching among bureaucrats and politicians in the capital, these projects were allowed to operate. The water on the highway is just runoff from the rains that has been pushed into lesser priority neighbourhoods and now onto the highway. You can personally witness this yourself during these rains if you were to visit Iqbal town ( either side of the highway near the FIA building). What you will see is the real problem, the entire area floods to about 4-5 ft of water(Unbelievable but please visit the area and you will see). The water accumulates and is eventually built up enough to actually spill onto the Islamabad highway. Public funding and public money to create alternate channels in place of the ones destroyed by development have been diverted away as these areas are neatly hidden on either side of the islamabad highway. It was quite a surprise to me, when I witnessed it this past week, that a naturally functioning system of rivers, streams and torrents would be destroyed with a blatant disregard for the future consequences of the entire area. The problem lies with the CDA and local politicians who would rather gain in the short term and worry about the long term losses later.