ISLAMABAD: The launch of work on the proposed 7th Avenue Interchange at the junction of Srinagar Highway and 7th Avenue near Aabpara is facing an inordinate delay.

On the other hand, citizens are facing traffic congestion on a daily basis at the junction. However, the project, which was initially conceived in 2008, is yet to be launched.

According to CDA officials, once started the project worth Rs1.5 billion will be completed in a year.

In February this year, the CDA received bids from four companies. But the civic agency has yet to open financial bids to award the contract. A board member, however, said technical bids were being evaluated and soon the civic agency will decide the fate of the bids.

The proposed interchange is cloverleaf, one with four left and right loops at the junction of 7th Avenue, Srinagar Highway, Khayaban-i-Soharwardi and Garden Avenue. The CDA officials said there will be an underpass to link both portions of Khayaban-i-Soharwardi.

The bids were submitted by Habib Construction Company, (which recently constructed G-7,G-8 interchange), National Logistics Cell (NLC) and the joint venture of Maaksons, Calson and Maqbool Associates.

The project was conceived in 2008. Then, several times the PC-I was placed before CDA’s Development Working Party (DWP) for approval but every time it faced objections.

However, in DWP meeting held in October last year, the PC-1 was finally approved and subsequently the CDA called the tenders.

“Every day, we [motorists] face long queues of vehicles at this junction. I guess this junction is one of the crowded ones where traffic gridlocks are routine,” said Shoukat Ali, a motorist. He said CDA should start this project without any further delay to provide relief to the commuters.Another motorist, Iqbal Khan, said during rush hours motorists have to wait for the signals to open for two to three times to get their turn. “This interchange should be a top priority of the government,” he said.

Officials of the CDA engineering wing said there was no delay on their part as they had completed all prerequisites for starting the project.

“Once the financial bids are open, we will immediately award the contract to start the project, which will be completed in a year,” said an official.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2021