Islamabad: CDA prepares to launch development of I-15

[Naveed Yaseen]

Mobarik A. Virk
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is preparing to float international tenders for the development of Sector I-15. The tenders in this respect are likely to be floated within next one week.

Sector I-15, spread over 746 acres of land, was thrown open to public back in 2005 with the objective to cater to the needs of low-income group. It had had around 5,500 plots measuring 25x50 sq yard and 30x60 sq yard in addition to about 8,000 flats. However, it was learnt that now the number of apartments has been increased to 10,000 by increasing the number of floors in these apartment buildings, ‘The News’ learnt.

“The approximate cost of the project is around Rs40 billion and the bidding for the project would be conducted through International Competitive Bidding (ICB) Projects, the sources told ‘The News’.

Initially the contract to develop the sector was awarded to M/s Al-Khan Construction Company in 2005 and they were required to develop the sector within a period of three years. However, the contractor failed to fulfil the obligations and defaulted. A senior official of the authority, when contacted, said that the development of Sector I-15 was not the only project where M/s Al-Khan Construction Company defaulted.

“Earlier they defaulted in developing/construction of the Islamabad Highway and some other projects as well. On his failure the CDA fixed the penalty as per the agreement and already encashed the ‘guarantee money’ that he had submitted after the court vacated the stay order that the contractor had got against the move,” he told ‘The News’.

He also said that this particular construction company has already black listed by the CDA. According to sources in the Engineering Wing of the authority it was learnt that the emphasis would be on ascertaining the fact whether the interested parties have the capacity to complete this project of development of Sector I-15 within 36 months or not.

“It would be a pre-requisite that the interested parties participating in the bidding to win the contract for development of Sector I-15 should have an average annual turnover of US$2 billion or above, should have undertaken at least three projects of same value or above over the last five years, must have constructed at least one similar project over the last five years and must have capacity to finance at least 60 per cent of the project cost on 7 to 10 years deferred payment basis and submit proof of availability of funds to undertake the project,” the sources said.

They said that the proposals are being invited for this big project from the reputed international as well as local construction companies or joint venture for undertaking the infrastructure development and construction of 10,000 apartments on design, build and finance basis.

The sources in the CDA said that after the development of the sector was delayed some of the people who were allotted plots/flats in the sector got agitated and demanded the refund of their money.

“Having realised that the fault lies with the CDA, it was decided to refund the money to those people without deducting 10 per cent of the amount of money submitted with the CDA,” the sources said.

When contacted, Spokesman of the CDA Director-General (Civic Management & PR), Syed Mustafain Kazmi told ‘The News’ that Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi is keen to take up the delayed projects and got those completed on urgent basis.

“Over the last more than five years the focus was shifted from the expansion and development of the city to cosmetic development such as construction of roads, widening of highways and to some extent improving the environments.

“Now the present chairman is more interested in taking all the delayed projects, especially the sector development, one by one and wants to get those completed as early as possible. He has already ordered early completion of the development work of Sector D-12, which was opened back in 1988 and still some pockets of the sector remain un-developed.

Similarly, Chairman Imtiaz Inayat Elahi has already resolved the issues hindering the development of Sector I-11, a sector thrown open no less than 40 years ago and development work has already started there,” Mr Kazmi said. “Now, he has ordered to take up the development of Sector I-15 on urgent basis and for that the CDA is likely to take initiative within the next few days,” he said.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=200462