Post Reply 
 
Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Expressway expansion hits snags
07-14-2014, 01:23 PM
Post: #1
Expressway expansion hits snags
Expressway expansion hits snags

The Rs17.5 billion expansion project involves construction of a 24-kilometre-long signal-free corridor from Zero Point to Rawat and if executed, it will take only 15 minutes to cover distance between the two points. PHOTO:FILE
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Expressway expansion may be delayed because of shortage of fund as neither the Capital Development Authority (CDA) nor the federal government has made any allocation for it in the current budget.
The Rs17.5 billion expansion project involves construction of a 24-kilometre-long signal-free corridor from Zero Point to Rawat and if executed, it will take only 15 minutes to cover distance between the two points.
The CDA is looking towards the federal government to fund the project under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), as the civic agency has been facing financial crunch to initiate work on it, a CDA official told The Express Tribune.
“The CDA lacks the requisite funds to carry out work on the project and we are looking towards the federal government to finance it,” CDA Member Engineering Shahid Sohail said.
He, however, dispelled the impression that the project would face delay because of the funding issue.
“Currently, the CDA is shaping up the project and it is likely to be finalised by the end of the first quarter of current financial year,” Sohail said.
Earlier, the federal government had consented to provide up to 50 per cent for the project, but the fragile financial position of the CDA does not allow it to arrange Rs8.5 billion funds which may cause delay.
Meanwhile, the civic agency was also contemplating the option of constructing the road on a build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) basis, a senior official said adding that the option was yet to be shared with the federal government.
“A tax of Rs30 will be levied on light vehicles and Rs50 on heavy vehicles plying the highway and the contractor who will bear the cost of the project will be given the contract,” he said.
Petrol pumps, wedding halls and housing societies, which were operating on both sides of the highway, would be charged fee for using the CDA land.
The official said that drivers who did not want to pay the toll could use service roads instead of the highway.
The CDA recently floated an advertisement to pre-qualify consultant firms for design, construction and supervision of the project, but the prequalification was yet to be announced.
“The Rs17.5 billion cost is tentative and based on estimations. It can go up or down after completion of the engineering design,” said an official of authority’s finance wing.
The official rejected the notion that highrise buildings on both sides of the highway would be erected.
But, a senior officer of the Cabinet Division, who attended a meeting regarding the project at the Prime Minister’s office a few days ago, confirmed that the road would be developed on the patron of Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road, which has highrise buildings on both sides.
The project involves construction of two overhead passages one each in front of the Koral Chowk and the Defence Housing Authority with seven underpasses mostly in front of housing societies located along the highway.
The highway would have 10 lanes — five lanes on each side — with three flexible and two rigid pavements.
The portion of the Islamabad Expressway between Zero Point and Koral Chowk is already consisted of 10 lanes.
If executed, the project would boost real estate business in Zone-V of Islamabad, as dozens of private housing societies fall along the highway.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2014.
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  MB-4 The Expressway Bahauddin Zakariya Gate on MPS Road: A Turning Point for DHA Mult LRE-Azan 0 157 11-02-2023 06:25 PM
Last Post: LRE-Azan
  32 Billion Contract Approved For Karachi Malir Expressway by Sindh Government LRE-Azan 0 2,118 01-23-2020 01:04 PM
Last Post: LRE-Azan
  PM Abbasi performed the ground breaking of the Rs17 billion East Bay Expressway LRE-Azan 0 2,858 11-22-2017 06:46 PM
Last Post: LRE-Azan
  PKR 500 million Granted For Expansion of Ek Moria Pul Lahore Salman 0 1,925 10-30-2017 04:09 PM
Last Post: Salman
  AIIB to finance four projects including Malir Expressway S-III Salman 0 2,109 09-14-2017 05:10 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Airport expansion to start soon Salman 0 2,730 09-07-2016 11:58 AM
Last Post: Salman
  Bedian Road Expansion Plan Salman 0 4,796 06-02-2016 11:38 AM
Last Post: Salman
  Residents protest against DHA expansion Salman 0 2,823 11-17-2015 12:37 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Islamabad Expressway to have segregated lane Salman 0 2,695 11-17-2015 12:30 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Work on Expressway Signal-free Corridor in full swing Salman 0 3,280 10-05-2015 06:55 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Delay in Leh Expressway project worsens sewerage problem Salman 0 3,423 08-18-2015 06:39 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Leh Expressway Project to be Resumed Salman 0 2,753 06-19-2015 05:29 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Gwadar Expressway, Karachi-Lahore Motorway: Chinese Ambassador for early construction Salman 0 3,856 06-10-2015 04:45 PM
Last Post: Salman
  LDA to construct 5.8km expressway from Ravi River Toll Plaza to Rachna Town Salman 0 5,197 03-16-2015 02:39 PM
Last Post: Salman
  CDA to bear cost of Islamabad Expressway extension Salman 0 2,844 02-27-2015 05:08 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Work on Sialkot-Lahore Expressway, Ring Road soon Salman 0 3,713 01-26-2015 03:47 PM
Last Post: Salman
  CDA secures possession of more 3000 kanals for expansion of sectors C-15, C-16 Salman 0 2,755 12-30-2014 04:02 PM
Last Post: Salman
  CDA plans to run mini-train service on Islamabad Expressway Salman 0 3,006 12-13-2014 07:22 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Expansion work on dry port road to start soon Salman 0 2,838 11-20-2014 12:18 PM
Last Post: Salman
  Stay on Expressway extended Salman 0 2,874 10-15-2014 01:20 PM
Last Post: Salman

Forum Jump:


User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)