Expressway’s makeover: PM inaugurates project today

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to inaugurate the Islamabad Expressway widening project on Tuesday (today) which would be built at an estimated cost of Rs21.8 billion.

“PM has consented to be the chief guest at the Tuesday ceremony which will be held at the Shakarparian parade ground,” said a senior officer of the Capital Development Authority.

CDA has allocated Rs5 billion for the project in its 2015-16 budget.

The work on the first phase of the project, titled “Signal-free and controlled access corridor of Islamabad Highway from Zero Point to Rawat”, has already been awarded to a construction firm. The estimated Rs1.6 billion first phase includes rehabilitation and up-gradation of existing road between Zero Point and Faizabad with an interchange at the Sector I-8 traffic signal.

The second phase, tenders for which are expected to be opened on July 7, will cost around Rs6.6 billion and includes up-gradation of the highway between Faizabad and Airport Chowk. Two new interchanges, one each at Swan Chowk and Airport Chowk, besides an underpass at Kuri, are also part of it.

The estimated Rs13.167 billion third phase will include construction of additional lanes and complete highway rehabilitation between Airport Chowk and Rawat.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2015.