ISLAMABAD: The government of Punjab and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Tuesday resolved the issue related to the construction of the three-km portion of Rawalpindi Ring Road that falls in the jurisdiction of both the cities.

Sources in the CDA said officials from the Punjab government and the CDA held a virtual meeting headed by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar. Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed and members estate and engineering participated from the CDA side.

The sources said it was decided that the CDA will construct the portion of the road along with an interchange. However, the Punjab government will pay against the work that will be carried out in the jurisdiction of the province.

The portion of the ring road will link MI (Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway) with GT Road near Sangjani where it will also be linked with Islamabad’s Margalla Road where an interchange will be constructed.

Another interchange will likely to be constructed near N-5, Wapda Town.

The construction of Margalla Road is already in progress from Sanjgani to D-12 where it will be linked with Khyaban-i-Iqbal. The sources said work on Margalla Road was in progress and was likely to be completed by the end of July next year.

“Today’s meeting made a good decision of allowing same civic agency to do construction of this small portion of 3.4 km road. Now, after completion of this entire project MI-GT road and Margalla Road will be linked, and this step will provide a speedy road network to people,” said an official of CDA.

Last year, concerned departments of Rawalpindi made several efforts to construct the entire 3.4 km road portion but the CDA did not agree to it saying that the civic agency could not allow any provincial organisation to construct a road in its limit.

In February this year, Prime Minister Imran Khan supported CDA’s point of view and decided that CDA will construct the portion of the road that falls in its limit.

During the meeting, the sources said, it was also decided that Punjab and CDA will acquire land separately in their respective areas but the construction work will be carried out by the CDA.

The CDA officials said 1.6km of the road falls in the limit of Islamabad while 1.8km is located in Punjab.

The CDA wanted the Frontier Work Organisation (FWO), which is already engaged in construction of Margalla Road, could win the contract of the portion of the road for its speedy completion as a part of the Margalla Road project.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2021