July 30, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, July 29: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) was asked on Tuesday to come up with proposals for the construction of a tunnel between the Parliament House and the Parliamentary Lodges for the convenience of the parliamentarians.

Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain gave the direction while presiding over a high level meeting here.

Chairman CDA Chaudhry Abdul Rauf, Secretary National Assembly Mehmood Saleem Mehmood and high officials of the National Assembly Secretariat and the CDA attended the meeting.

The plan was envisaged in 1997 and it was estimated to cost around Rs88 million. Under the plan, a 15-feet wide and 12-feet high tunnel was to be constructed to avoid traffic mess on the Constitution Avenue when parliament is in session.

The tunnel would open on the premises of the Parliament House. However, the project is silent about provision of escalators, lifts or conveyors for the parliamentarians. The addition of these facilities will add to the cost of the project and the Authority has been directed to do work in this regard.

It is a common sight that when parliament is in session, each vehicle entering the parliament building is checked for security reasons that causes traffic jams on the Constitution Avenue to the discomfort of the common people.

The meeting also considered a proposal for the construction of additional accommodation for the parliamentarians due to increase in the number of seats in the National Assembly.

The meeting also discussed availability of sports facilities for the parliamentarians, employees of parliamentary secretariats and general public in addition to the construction of a residence for the National Assembly speaker.