ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Asad Umar will formally inaugurate construction work on Margalla Road in Sangjani on Thursday.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Capital Development Authority (CDA) Ali Nawaz Awan, who will also attend the ceremony, told Dawn that the construction of the road will start from Thursday.

“The planning minister, who is also the elected MNA from the area, will inaugurate the first package on Thursday,” the SAPM said.

The groundbreaking of the project was performed by Prime Minister Imran Khan in April.

SAPM said the road will be constructed in two phases - from Sangjani to D-12 and from edge of the Constitution Avenue to Satra Meel, Murree Road, bypassing Bhara Kahu.

Sources said for the time being CDA was not interested in construction from D-12 to Constitution Avenue as it will use Khayaban-i-Iqbal as a link between both of them.

The CDA has already awarded contract to Frontier Works Oraganisation (FWO).

“This road will bring a big relief not only to residents of Islamabad but also to other areas,” the SAPM said, adding the road is part of Islamabad’s master plan prepared in 1960, but successive government ignored it.

“We are going to construct this major road, which will be helpful in reducing traffic burden from other roads, particularly from Srinagar Highway,” he said.

Initially, the 35-km-long Margalla Road, starting from G.T. Road near Sangjani, was to culminate at Bhara Kahu but now the CDA has decided that it will bypass Bhara Kau and link with Murree Road near Satra Meel.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2021