ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has changed the design of Rawal Dam Chowk which is being expanded to ease traffic on Murree Road.

The civic agency, which earlier had planned to construct two slip roads and an overpass at the roundabout, will now construct an underpass there.

CDA officials said the step was taken to reduce the cost of the project. “If we go with the old design, the project will cost Rs1 billion. Though a final estimate is yet to be made, I guess now we will have to spend around Rs300 million on the project,” said an engineer of the CDA.

CDA says instead of an overpass and two slip roads as planned earlier, an underpass will now be constructed to ease traffic

In February this year, the CDA decided to construct an overpass with two slip roads to connect Park Road with Murree Road.

The CDA officials said once constructed the proposed underpass would ensure smooth traffic flow on either side of the road from Serena Chowk/Murree Road to Park Road.

Traffic congestion has become a routine at Rawal Chowk because of the mushroom growth of housing projects on either side of Park Road and at Alipur Farash, Chatta Bakhtawar and Tarlai.

When contacted, a member of the CDA board said on the direction of the CDA chairman the design of the project had been changed.

Now the estimated cost of the project will be presented before the CDA Development Working Party for a final approval, he added.

Currently, some development projects are stalled such as 7th Avenue interchange, expansion and repair of IJP road and the expansion of Islamabad Highway.

However, CDA spokesperson Syed Safdar Ali said development projects are a priority. He said the design of Rawal Dam Chowk had been changed to reduce the project cost.

Mr Ali said work on the construction of the PWD underpass on Islamabad Expressway would start soon to ease traffic on the busy highway.

He said recently the CDA requested the federal government to allow it to carry out the highway project from its own resources.

“We have funds and are waiting to get the go-ahead signal from the federal government,” he said.

Asked about the dilapidated condition of IJP Road, he said the project would be executed at a later stage as currently a consultant was being engaged for it.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2019