Elevated Super Expressway: CM to inaugurate work on Oct 1

[LRE]

CM to inaugurate work on Oct 1



Saturday, September 13, 2008
Saeed Ahmed

Rawalpindi

The work on the Elevated Super Expressway would kick off on October 1 as Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif will inaugurate the work at Shamshabad.

Sources told ‘The News’ Friday that the chief minister is determined to resolve traffic snarls at Murree Road, which is aggravating with each passing day. He has directed the Rawalpindi Development Authority to start work on the project which include its survey, study and designing. The project costing Rs25 billion would be built from Mareer Chowk to Faizabad, which would be completed in two years time.

The work has been awarded to Nespak. An amount of Rs20 million for carrying out study and design work on the project has been allocated and would be released after inauguration of the project. “If Eid ul Fitr falls on the same day, the date of inauguration could be extended by a week, the sources said.

The components of the project include construction of flyover from Marrir Chowk to Faizabad connecting Rawalpindi directly with the capital. The traffic plying on Murree Road would not be affected during work on the Elevated Express, the sources said. The other components include expansion of Railway Bridge with construction of additional two lanes at Marrir Chowk. The flyover would also bisect other areas as well including Tipu Road from Liaquat Bagh, inner localities in Committee chowk, Asghar Mall, Rehmanabad, Sixth Road and Liaquat Road. The flyover would be meant for those who want to go directly to Islamabad from Marrir Chowk. The people residing in inner localities could use Murree Road. With the completion of the project, the traffic problem would be resolved for the next 30 years i.e. the year 2040 without any hurdle or blockades.

Director General RDA Makeen Shahbaz confirmed the report of the inauguration of Elevated Express. After its inauguration, development projects including Business and Community Centre at Committee Chowk and Parking cum Shopping Plaza in Raja Bazaar would be started, he added. Wrk on Leh Expressway would also be initiated before the next monsoon season but work on the component of flood control channel would be initiated and completed at the earliest, he told.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=135473