Islamabad: Ban on trucks in capital impeding uplift projects

[Naveed Yaseen]

* CDA official says few trucks allowed in city after lengthy procedure of security clearance

ISLAMABAD: The development projects underway in the capital are facing impediments as the city administration has banned the entry of dumpers in the city following the suicide attack on Marriott Hotel last September.

A senior Capital Development Authority (CDA) official told this news agency on Monday that the development work was being negatively affected due to the ban on entrance of dumpers in the city.

He said that the authority was executing various development projects, including Zero Point Interchange, Federal Ombudsman Secretariat and development of different roads and footpaths. During the execution of the projects, he added, dumpers were used to carry steel and construction material and to dispose of the rubble. The CDA official said that following the ban on the entry of trucks, work on development projects had been halted.

Few trucks: He said that only a few trucks were allowed in the city after a long procedure of security clearance by the Islamabad Police, the city administration and the Transport secretary.

He said that the permission granted to some of the trucks was also time-bound and that they were allowed to move within limited area, which affected the development work.

He said that the authority was in touch with the city administration to get permission in this regard, hoping that former CDA chairman and new Chief Commissioner Kamran Lashari would extend his co-operation in this regard, as he had initiated development projects that were being negatively affected.

He said that if trucks were not allowed inside the city, all the development projects would be delayed. He also said that the authority was likely to initiate another mega project of widening of Kashmir Highway, 6th Avenue and 11th Avenue and that it would be impossible to start these projects if the situation did not improve. app

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...08_pg11_11