Islamabad: Jinnah Ave-Faisal Ave Flyover nears completion, but at snail’s pace

[Naveed Yaseen]

Mobarik A. Virk
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) managed to get one side of the Faisal Avenue-Jinnah Avenue fly-over open on March 23 while the other side is also being made operational within a week, as was promised by CDA Chairman Tariq Mahmood Khan.

The opening of the fly-over and three links provided a lot of relief to the motorists commuting through this busy intersection of the city but the fact is that the Pindi-bound Jinnah Avenue-Faisal Avenue link opposite Khyber Plaza as well as absence of ‘cat’s eyes’ and lane marking on the fly-over and links and installation of lights continued to be an irritant for the commuters.

At the time fly-over was completed and opened for traffic, the member (engineering) had said that the Pindi-bound link of Jinnah Avenue-Faisal Avenue would be completed by mid-April while the installation of lights and lane marking would also be completed within this period that would bring about the completion of the project, leaving behind only ‘cosmetic improvements’ to add beauty to this major intersection of the city.

However, the contractor engaged for the project yet again failed to meet the deadline set for the completion of the project and by the evening of April 24 (Friday), work was still under progress.

CDA’s Director General (Works) Abdul Jabbar Mallano when contacted told ‘The News’ that the link was almost ready and the CDA was busy carpeting this segment of the project after which it would be opened for traffic.

“Yes, this part of the project got delayed again, causing yet another delay in the overall completion of the project. But you should realise it was a ‘sick project’ and required the authority a lot of efforts to get it completed eventually,” he said.

“I hope the carpeting of this Pindi-bound ‘Jinnah Avenue-Faisal Avenue link’ would be completed within the next few days and it would be thrown open for the traffic. We are doing our level best and we hope that by mid May this project would be completed in every respect, including the installation of lights, the ‘cat’s eyes’ and the lane-markings,” Mallano said.

A number of attempts were made to contact the contractor engaged by the CDA for the project, but their representative was not available for comments.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=174250