Islamabad: Two ICT dams in bad shape, NA told

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Interior Adviser Rehman Malik says no CDA funding for dams
* Says dam water being used by residential colonies
* Says five capital police stations housed in private buildings

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Kirpa and Tumair dams in the limits of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) are in ‘dilapidated’ condition due to fund shortage, said Advisor to the Prime Minster on Interior Rehman Malik on Thursday.

In a written reply to an MNA’s query, Malik told the National Assembly that the cash-strapped ICT administration allocated just Rs 400 million annually for the maintenance of the two dams.

CDA funding: He said Capital Development Authority (CDA) budget had no allocations for the two dams.

Residential colonies: He said Kirpa and Tumair dams were built for irrigation in 1992 with the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) funding but their water was being used by residential colonies besides farmers.

Malik said machinery provided by the JICA to de-silt the two dams had outlived its usefulness and was no more in working condition. He said the life of the machinery was seven years. He said three dumper trucks were parked on the premises of the M-2 Kirpa.

The Interior Advisor informed the House that work on almost all under construction roads had been completed. He said construction of new roads had resulted in smooth traffic in the city.

He said work on pedestrian bridges on Islamabad Expressway, and Zero Point and Khayaban Chowk overhead bridges was underway.

He said Constitution Avenue passed through Diplomatic Protection Area and therefore, the law-enforcement agencies had practically closed it for security reasons.

Private buildings: Malik said the Women, Nilore, Koral, Sabzi Mandi and Shahzad Town police stations had been established in private buildings.

He said Sabzi Mandi and Shahzad Town police stations were expected to be shifted to their own buildings by the end of current fiscal year.

He said official buildings for the Women and Nilore police stations were being raised after land acquisition, while the process to purchase land for Nilore police station was underway.

The Interior Advisor said police had requested Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Sciences and Technology (PINSTECH) for allotment of land for the Nilore police station’s building. He also said land for Koral police station was being purchased.

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