RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Monday asked the contractors of I.J. Principal Road section of metrobus project to speed up work on Peshawar Mor intersection as shifting of gas supply line will be completed on Tuesday.

Commissioner Zahid Saeed reviewed the progress on Islamabad section on Monday. He was informed that Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) will complete shifting of supply line from Peshawar Mor on July 15.

“All obstacles to the construction of pillars have been removed and now it is the duty of the contractors to speed up work so that the intersection is completed within the stipulated timeframe,” he said.

Mr Saeed said work on packages two and three (I.J. Principal Road to Peshawar Mor and Peshawar Mor to Centaurus Mall) were slow because of gas and water supply lines which were a hurdle to digging earth for the pillars.

“Now work on these sections will speed up and the metrobus project in Islamabad is expected to be completed by January 2015,” he said.

Talking to Dawn, the commissioner said that work on laying a new bridge over Leh Nullah near Moti Mahal had begun and it would be completed after Eidul Fitr.

He said work on package 2 (from Committee Chowk to 6th Road) was slow last month but the contractor picked up pace and completed 50 per cent of the work on construction of pillars.

The commissioner said the contractors had been directed to keep removing debris from the area where construction of pillars had been completed for smooth flow of traffic.

To further improve vehicular movement, he said the contractors would install iron sheets close to the pillars as at present they were covering major portion of the road.

“When work to lay the slabs on the pillars will begin, the local administration will close the road to avoid any untoward situation,” he said.

Replying to a question about the construction of bus terminals, the commissioner said work on the project would start after the slabs on the pillars were laid.

He said payment for land acquisition would start soon and after acquiring land, the foundations for the bus terminal will be laid.

The commissioner said the Punjab Revenue Board had notified rates for the land to be acquired for the bus terminals.

“The government will involve all stakeholders and business community when it starts giving payments for the land,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2014