ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to improve Kahuta Triangle Industrial Area road network.

The industrial area was launched by CDA decades ago, but it remained neglected in terms of road network. The CDA on Tuesday called bids for improving road network in this industrial area.

“We are going to spend Rs350 million to improve road network of Kahuta Triangle, which is our major industrial area, but it remained neglected for decades,” CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahemd said.

He said that this industrial zone had been contributing to city’s needs, therefore, CDA had decided to provide maximum facilities to industrialists.

CDA officials said that the industrial area was part of Islamabad’s master plan prepared in 1960 and in 80s it saw a boom. However, its roads and streets are in a dilapidated condition for years. The CDA officials said that there are 350 industrial plots and most of them are in use of industrialists. They said that ghee factory, steel mill, paper factory, beverage factory, motorbike plant and numbers of pharmaceutical companies are operating in this industrial area.

The CDA officials said that at the time of allotment of industrial plots, it was decided, the allottee will get the development work done through their own resources. However, later on, they did not pay much attention towards development work that resulted into dilapidated condition of the road.

Meanwhile, sources said that there was a CDA land adjacent to the industrial area, which has been facing encroachment from the private housing schemes.

“I noted that some private housing societies have encroached upon CDA land as well as the land of Sohan River,” said an official of CDA.

He said besides starting development work in the area, the CDA should also conduct operation to retrieve its land from the encroachers.

Besides, Kahuta Industrial Triangle Islamabad has industrial areas in sector I-9 and 1-10. Many other industrial sectors of I series have already been converted to residential sectors.

Recently, the CDA and Board of Investment decided in principle to set up a special economic zone under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) along the proposed eastern bypass.

The proposed bypass will start from G.T. Road and while crossing from eastern side of Capital City will culminate at Murree Road near Bhara Kahu.

The CDA officials said a special economic zone will be developed along this road to boost industrial activities and create job opportunities in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2021