ISLAMABAD: A technical committee of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) will take up for approval three development projects on Monday.

Officials said expansion of I.J. Principal Road, Rawal Dam Chowk and a road project of Orchard Scheme would be placed before the committee for approval PC-II. The committee is headed by CDA Chairman Amer Ahmed Ali.

The PC-II deals with design and consultancy of a project. Once the committee approves the PC-II, feasibility work on the projects will be started and then these will be placed before CDA’s Development Working Party for approval of PC-I.

“These projects, particularly widening of IJP Road and Rawal Dam Chowk, are highly imperative. We are making efforts to start these projects soon to provide relief to the citizens,” said the CDA chairman.

IJP Road which links Islamabad and Rawalpindi besides connecting G.T. Road and Islamabad Expressway has been in a dilapidated condition for long.

As a result, massive gridlocks are observed on this road daily.

A partial rehabilitation of the road was carried out at a cost of Rs140 million in 2016-17. However, within a few months the road developed patches and ruts due to the passage of heavy vehicles.

This road was originally constructed in 2005 only for light traffic but in 2008 heavy traffic was shifted to it.

Since the heavy traffic, including trailers, trucks and buses, were allowed to ply on the road its condition started deteriorating.

The proposed design will include grade separation facilities to improve the capital’s linkage with Rawalpindi through 9th Avenue.

Rawal Dam Chowk also faces traffic jams as population in its adjoining areas, including Chak Shahzad, Lakhwal, Chatta Bakhtawar and Taramri, has increased manifold.

Sources in the CDA said the technical committee would give the go-ahead signal for the projects.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2019