ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to seek Rs500 million funds from the federal government to start expansion of expressway from Koral to G.T. Road.

The expressway, which is busiest inter provincial road has been facing traffic gridlock from Koral to G.T. Road.

Sources said that the CDA management had decided to seek Rs500 million funds from the federal government to start the expansion of the road.

The sources said the said decision was taken by the CDA members and Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed the other day, while discussing two ongoing development projects of expressway – P.W.D underpass and expansion of Korang Bridge.

“We are going to send letter to federal government this week,” said a board member.

He said that PWD underpass will be completed in this July while expansion of Korang Bridge project will also be completed before the deadline of December.

Asked if CDA want to get Rs500 million funds for upcoming Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for fiscal year 2021-22, the member said: “ No, we are requesting the government to release funds in this ongoing fiscal year from the unutilised funds, which will be surrendered by various departments,” he said.

Meanwhile, sources said that the CDA was also going to start overhauling of service road (East) of expressway from Faizabad/Sohan to Koral.

The CDA officials said that in response to invitations, four construction companies have submitted their bids and CDA had opened technical bids and in coming days, financial bids will be opened to award contract worth Rs480 million for nine kilometer long service road.

The official said once started, the project will be completed in one year.

The expressway starts from Faisal Mosque and ends at GT road. Its first phase from Faisal Mosque to Zeropoint called Faisal Avenue and remaining is called expressway.

It is one of the busiest roads in Rawalpindi and Islamabad because it caters both local and heavy traffic, especially to and from Lahore.

This road is also an important link between Punjab, Azad Kashmir, the Northern Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

This road saw massive increase of traffic during the last two decades due to growth of transport and housing sectors.

During the PML-N government the road was expanded upto Koral while PTI government started two projects – construction of P.W.D underpass and expansion of Korang Bridge and now CDA want to start expansion of remaining portion from Koral to GT road.

From Faisal Mosque to Koral the road is five-lane but it transforms suddenly into two-lane road near Koral.

“With the construction of P.W.D underpass and expansion of Korang Bridge, the traffic congestion issue will be resolved to some extent. So we are going to complete these two projects in next six month to provide relief to citizens,” said a CDA board member. He said that meanwhile federal government is being asked to provide Rs500 million funds for expansion of remaining portion.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021