CDA approves construction of Jinnah Avenue in Zone-IV

[Salman]

CDA approves construction of Jinnah Avenue in Zone-IV


ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has approved the construction of Jinnah Avenue in Zone 4.

With that the Bahria Town has taken in hand the construction project of the four-lane modern road that would link main Kurri Road to Kurri Model Village and would cost Rs220 million.

According to a CDA official, the authority has issued circular No CDA/PLW/Zone 4(11)2011/P/60 dated January 31, 2012 which says that in its meeting held on January 16, 2012, after deliberating over the issue, it allowed the Bahria Town to construct 150-foot-wide Jinnah Avenue free of cost.

According to terms and conditions, M/S BTPL will construct this road entirely at its own expense; the Jinnah Avenue will not be the property of Bahria Town but it will be a thoroughfare open to all the residents of the villages in the vicinity as they use other thoroughfares throughout the country.

The circular says that BTPL will also construct two link roads: one will be 3.5 kilometres long and begin from Kurri Model Village, while the other will be 1.5 kilometres long which will connect the avenue with agro farms/dumping site area. These roads will be the property of CDA which will also have the right of way. M/S BTPL and CDA will jointly develop signboards, billboards and signages for the roads. The expenditure on survey/alignments/cross-section and designing will be borne entirely by Bahria Town and it will be done with the approval already granted by CDA which will monitor the construction of the roads. These roads will always remain thoroughfares and Bahria Town will never have any right to their exclusive use nor will it have any claim of the roads as such. The BTPL will uplift the already existing main Kurry road at its own expense.

In the meanwhile, a senior official of Bahria Town said four years ago, Bahria Town spent a sum of Rs95 million for the construction of 3.5 kilometres long portion of Islamabad Highway between PWD Housing Society and Kak Pull, all in public interest. He further said that Bahria Town has set up a free dispensary in Kurri village where 125-150 patients are treated and given free medicines daily. The official further said for the convenience of thousands of residents of the surrounding villages Bahria Town constructed an asphalt road on the nine-kilometre Kutcha road only two months ago at a cost of Rs80 million. This has been widely welcomed by the people of the area.

Sources said that four or five years back CDA had initiated construction of Kurri Model Village Road which is part of CDA’s master plan. The road was still half way when funds for the project were consumed. Bahria Town made an offer to CDA that it was prepared to complete the remaining part of the road entirely free of cost and at its own expense. The offer was made for general welfare of thousands of the residents on the outskirts of the road, and also in view of the fact that after about four to five years, residents of Bahria Enclave too would use it. The road will neither be the property of Bahria Town, nor will it impose any tax nor will it be transferred in the name of Bahria Town. CDA has now given approval to the proposal on the condition that crores of rupees to be spent on the construction of the road will be paid by Bahria Town.