Legislators flay CDA for delays in development of I16

[Salman]

Legislators flay CDA for delays in development of I16


ISLAMABAD: Legislators on Friday questioned the credibility of the civic body of the capital, which has failed to complete even a single residential project in time and same is the case of Sector I16, initiated in 1998.

The water supply, natural gas facility, provision of electricity and proper police patrolling are the major problems in Sector I16. The people have already paid for the development of all these facilities but the Capital Development Authority (CDA) failed to complete the project in time. Few occupants are still there with the involvement of some officials of the CDA, while during the project’s initiation there were no such occupants, the legislators maintained.

Senator Saeed Ghani chaired the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Government Assurance at the Parliament House. He said six months ago the meeting was held regarding the issue but the situation of I16 was still the same, while assurance was given at that time.

The representative of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) informed the committee that gas pipeline was laid there and only four-kilometre area was left. He assured the committee that rest of the work would be completed in one month’s time. Senator Kalsoom Perveen said the CDA failed to complete projects in I16 during the last 13 years though the Senate committee worked hard for its improvement.

CDA Chairman Nadeem Hassan Asif assured the committee that he would take personal interest and would review the progress of the project on a weekly basis and update the committee.

The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) chief executive informed the committee that everything required for the project was available but could not be installed due to threat of theft.

He said out of nine transformers, three were stolen that is why IESCO stopped installation of more.

The committee expressed displeasures over the statement and said that such type of theft cases showed the incompetence of the authorities in the capital. The committee asked IESCO to complete its work and the CDA and local police would be directed to arrange safety of the transformers. The committee directed to complete all electric works within three months period and update the committee regularly on the progress.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Taimur Azmat informed the committee about the establishment of police station in I16 and said that a PC-I had already been submitted to the Planning Division. The committee directed the officials of IESCO, the SNGPL, and the CDA to complete all the remaining work and inform the committee on a regular basis.

The committee also discussed extension of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and Polyclinic hospitals. The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) secretary told the committee that the Planning Division rejected construction of medical towers in the existing building of the PIMS. There was a suggestion to construct few medical towers in the premises of the PIMS because existing building structure was not suitable for construct there.

About extension in the Polyclinic and taking of Argentina Park, the secretary said the CDA demanded Rs 45 million.

He said a summary had already been sent to the prime minister to wave off the amount and provide the park free of cost to the hospital.

The committee was informed that the Argentinean envoy promised that he would assist the government in the construction of the building and also provide training to the nurses of the hospital.