ISLAMABAD: The mayor on Wednesday inspected work on the long-delayed project to dualise the busy Service Road West-Ahmed Faraz Road, which has been awaiting completion for over two months.

Work on this patch, which stretches from the Islamabad High Court, just off the Kashmir Highway, all the way to Margalla Road at the E-11 intersection, was supposed to be completed by October 2017.

During his visit on Wednesday, Sheikh Anser Aziz, who is also acting chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), directed the agency’s Engineering Wing to complete the project by Dec 5.

Work on the dualisation, worth Rs 23 million, was started in April 2016, but the civic agency could not complete it within the specified timeframe.

This delay has been inconveniencing motorists on this busy stretch of road, which serves sectors G-10, G-11, F-10, F-11 and E-11, and gridlocks are routinely witnessed on the Nazimuddin and Sawan Road intersections.

During his visit, the mayor was told that 90 percent of work on the project had been completed.

However, Mr Aziz urged the concerned officials to formulate an effective strategy for the timely completion of all ongoing development projects in the capital, adding that unnecessary delays in the completion of development projects had not only increased their estimated cost, but also caused untold inconvenience to residents.

He also warned that delays in the completion of development projects would not be tolerated and stern action would be taken against the officers responsible.

According to an official statement, the CDA chief expressed dissatisfaction over the landscaping work on the median strip and ordered the director (environment) to plant saplings, and remove shrubs and wild grass from the both sides of the road.

He also directed the concerned officials to install electric poles and street lights.

The CDA chief also inspected the remaining work on the link road between Sector E-11 and Sector D-12, another long-delayed project.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2017