ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and National Highway Authority (NHA) are at loggerheads over the construction of three underpasses on Kashmir Highway that would maintain access to several residential sectors.

The NHA is the executing agency for the construction of the metro bus corridors from Peshawar Mor to the new airport, which are being built on the CDA-owned Kashmir Highway. As part of its project to construct the metro bus corridors, the CDA has been asking the NHA to also construct three underpasses in order to connect various residential sectors.

CDA officials Dawn spoke to have said that after the metro bus corridors have been completed it would be difficult for the authority to construct flyovers and interchanges planned for the area, and has therefore asked the NHA to construct at least three underpasses where future interchanges can be constructed.

CDA references 1997 federal cabinet decision in letter asking NHA to construct underpasses

The NHA, however, has argued that as per the PC-1 of the metro bus corridors project, the highway authority is not supposed to construct underpasses.

Both authorities have discussed the issue for several months. Last year, the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat also directed the NHA to construct at least two underpasses to ensure accessibility to various CDA sectors.

A recent meeting of NHA and CDA officials at CDA headquarters also did not yield a solution.

Apparently exhausted, the CDA on Wednesday wrote a letter to the NHA asking it to construct the underpasses.

The civic agency also provided details of coordinates as well as highlighting an old federal cabinet decision.

The letter read: “I am directed to draw your attention on the serious issue pertaining to provision of under passes/flyover for connecting G sectors on the North with the H series on the South at 13th, 16th & 17th Avenues. However, NHA has failed in providing any of these infrastructures.”

The letter highlighted a 1997 federal cabinet decision that had ordered the NHA to acquire the road rights of way of Kashmir Highway by acquiring 600ft on either side of the highway, and to provide underpasses, flyovers and loops at suitable points in conformity with the CDA’s master plan.

“Unfortunately, neither the right of way has been acquired nor is NHA considering, provision of any of these infrastructures to connect sectors on either sides of Kashmir Highway, thereby violating the master planning of the Capital City,” it stated.

The letter also said that the provision of interchanges at N-5-M – capital avenue to link the model jail in H-16 to Kashmir Highway through signal-free ascess – was agreed to and approved by the NHA in May 2016.

“NHA being the executing agency is once again requested to provide underpasses/grade separation along existing Kashmir Highway at 13th, 16th and 17th Avenues for providing the essential connectivity,” the letter concluded.

CDA officials told Dawn that according to a cabinet decision dated July 16, 1997, the NHA is bound to acquire 600ft on either side of Kashmir Highway and construct underpasses, interchanges and loops at locations in conformity with the CDA’s master plan.

When asked why the authority was highlighting the cabinet decision now, a senior CDA official said: “We were only asking the NHS to construct at least two underpasses during the construction of the metro bus track, but they were paying no heed towards our genuine demands. So now, just to remind them, we cited the old cabinet decision as well.”

He added that the CDA is not currently pushing for the implementation of the cabinet decision, which is binding on the NHA, but is concerned about the two underpasses that cannot be constructed once the metro bus track is complete. The official also claimed that the NHA was using delaying tactics.

“Sometimes they say they did not receive coordinates, and there is an issue of land where the underpasses are to be constructed. In the new letter, we mentioned coordinates in a bold format as the underpasses are to be constructed in the middle of Kashmir Highway and there is no land acquisition issue,” he said.

CDA spokesperson Malik Saleem confirmed that the details of exact coordinates and the authority’s concerns have been conveyed to the NHA in a letter. “The underpasses are highly important for accessibility of our various planned sectors,” he said.

NHA spokesperson Kashif Zaman said the CDA itself is confused about the construction of underpasses.

“They are telling us to construct underpasses and interchanges but they do not have acquired land for this purpose,” he said, adding that there was no provision in the metro bus track PC-1 regarding the construction of underpasses.

He said if the underpasses were important, the issue should have been highlighted when the project’s PC-1 was being finalised.

“It is difficult for us to remove CDA’s concerns, if any, now when our project is [at the] completion stage,” he said.

Mr Zaman said he was not aware of the cabinet decision regarding the acquisition of 600ft right of way of Kashmir Highway.

“I would check if there is any decision of cabinet, but I would say that when Kashmir Highway is the property of the CDA, then why will the NHA acquire land for right of way? Apparently, this make no sense, but I would check old records if there is any such decision,” he said, adding that the CDA’s letter in question will be examined and NHA high-ups will make a decision.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2018