Margalla Avenue project awaits CDA attention

[Salman]

ISLAMABAD - The mega project of Margalla Avenue road construction has been delayed due to lack of interest of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) administration.

According to sources, the eight-kilometre road connecting Sectors B-17 and D-12 with estimated cost of Rs588 million needed special attention of the CDA body.

This project was started on June 11 and was to be completed within one year, however despite passage of five months only15% work on the development project has been completed so far due to lack of interest of CDA bodies and contractors.

Development work on only five kilometres of eight kilometres road was in progress as graveyards and residential areas were present in the remaining three kilometres portion of the project. Keeping in view the circumstances, National Highway Authority (NHA) submitted an application for new allotment to planning wing, but it failed to issue new allotment which resulted in disruption in progress on of the development project.

Former chairman CDA has approved the construction of service road near Sector D-12, but the affectees moved to court causing suspension of development work on the project.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Aamir Ahmed Ali has directed the contractor to accelerate work on the development project in Sector G-14/2 and complete it as soon as possible. According to sources, a meeting, chaired by the DC, was held to review the development work in Sector G-14/2 the other day. Allottees of the sector and representatives of the Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation (FGEHF) attended the meeting.

Officials of the housing foundation told the meeting that there was no hurdle on the development work and the assistant commissioner and officers of the housing foundation kept visiting the site to check the speed of the work.

The officials further said that the allottees were continuously informed about the uplift work and a 15-day review report of the work was also being prepared.

Allottees of the sectors expressed satisfaction over the ongoing development work. Meanwhile, it was decided in the meeting that the next meeting would be held on December 3 in the housing foundation’s office. The contactors would brief the allottees about the details of the progress in the development work.