CDA to launch 'Khayaban-e-Margalla,’ project by end of April

[LahoreEstate]

Sunday, March 01, 2009
Mobarik A. Virk

Islamabad

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is all set to launch one of the most important project, the ‘Khayaban-e-Margalla,’ that once constructed will provide a ‘northern access’ to the federal capital from G.T. Road near Nicholson Monument.

CDA Chairman Tariq Mahmood Khan, told ‘The News’ that almost 90 per cent of preparatory work for launching the project has already been completed by the concerned department in the CDA. “There is every probability that by the end of April 2009, we will be able to launch this important project by performing the groundbreaking ceremony. Once this project is completed it would facilitate all those travellers heading towards Islamabad from the Northern parts of the country to have a quick access and reach the heart of the city within 10 minutes. They would even be able to reach the Pakistan Secretariat, or the Diplomatic Enclave, within 15 to 20 minutes once the ‘Khayaban-e-Margalla’ is ready and opened for public,” CDA Chairman Tariq Mahmood told ‘The News.’

He said that it would be a four-lane each side road that will connect the G.T. Road a little on the south of the Nicholson Monument with sectors E-10-E-11 junction where it will hit the 11th Avenue. “For the people coming from the up country to the federal capital it would provide an excellent access. Keeping in view the fact that many people from the upper parts of the country like Peshawar, Mardan, Swat, Abbottabbad, Mansehra and others start early in the morning to reach the federal capital to attend to their official or private business and they usually try to make it a day trip. “So, we have planned a well equipped ‘Service Area,’ meeting the international standards, where the basic facilities like spacious parking lot, a good restaurant, fuel station, and neat and clean wash rooms will be available. So, the people who have started their journey early in the morning from other cities to reach the federal capital at the start of the official working hours, can have a brief stay here, have a breakfast, freshen up and then move on to attend to their work or business well prepared,” he added.

He said that the upcoming ‘Khayaban-e-Margalla’ would be running along the foothills of Margalla hills on one side and people will find it a leisurely drive amidst pristine environment with thickly wooded areas abounded by natural beauty. “This would not only help those travelling from up country to the federal capital, but will facilitate those even more who have to commute daily from the areas like Taxila, Wah Cantt, Hassan Abdal, Haripur to attend offices located in various parts of the federal capital and return home in the evening,” the CDA chief told ‘The News.’

CDA Director (Roads) Asad Kiyani, when contacted, told ‘The News’ that it would be a 16-kilometre, four-lane 48-feet wide each side road with a 20 feet median (green belt) running in between. “There will be three lanes open for traffic while the fourth would be the shoulder on both the sides and the estimated cost of the project is around Rs4 billion. We have not planned any ‘rigid lane’ on ‘Khayaban-e-Margalla’ because we will discourage the entrance of heavy traffic, the trucks and dumpers on this road,” Asad Kiyani told ‘The News.’

To a question the director (Roads) told ‘The News’ that a survey of the whole area through which this ‘Khayaban-e-Margalla’ will pass has already been conducted by the authority and there are hardly any inhabited area falling in the way throughout the route of ‘Khayaban-e-Margalla’. “This will certainly help us speed up the work because there would hardly be any dispute/hurdles in the way of the CDA for land acquisition for this project. During these surveys of the land conducted by the CDA we have found out that there were not more than a couple of dozen structures, all abandoned and in dilapidated state, present in the area. These too only exist in ‘Shah Allah Ditta’ area,” director (Roads) told ‘The News’. “So, if any new structures come up after publishing of this news report and the time between the launching of this project, which is expected to be by the end of April, 2009, those would obviously be declared illegal encroachments and would be treated as such and in accordance of the law by the CDA,” Asad Kiyani, added.

He said that following all those surveys of the area conducted by the CDA it was very clear that even those few abandoned and dilapidated structures which are present in the area could not be categorised, as ‘built up property’ by the people who may come up as the claimants for those.

To a question he said that the concerned directorate (probably the Enforcement Directorate) in the authority would closely monitor the whole area and would prevent any attempt by the encroachment mafia to establish illegal possession of the area falling in the way of ‘Khayaban-e-Margalla.’

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=165168