MARGALLA Avenue, a road project currently under construction, is planned to start from Sangjani near the B17 sector on Grand Trunk (GT) Road, pass through the north of sectors C15, C14 and D13, and terminate at the northeastern end of D12 sector.
From D12, the traffic will use the service roads north and east of D12, the northern strip and service roads east of E11 to join with Khayaban-i-Iqbal, with several wedding halls on the right side of it.
It is estimated that an additional 30,000 to 35,000 vehicles will use the service roads which are not designed to carry such heavy traffic. Similarly, there will be an enormous increase in traffic on Khayaban-i-Iqbal.
The Defence Complex in Islamabad is also about to go operational, and, as a result, there will be a lot of traffic congestion in the area, making the daily commute a challenging task for office-goers and students as well as for emergency services, like ambulances, fire tenders and water tankers.
In short, Margalla Avenue will be an immense source of disturbance for the residents of sectors D12, E11, F11, F10 and the Defence Complex.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and other authorities concerned should construct an alternative road before making the Margalla Avenue operational. One option is to construct a road from the north-western corner of D12 to Srinagar Highway, passing between D12 and D13 and giving entry to the roads en route.
Besides, service roads north and east of D12, the northern strip and service roads east of E11 and Khayaban-i-Iqbal should be widened to maintain a smooth traffic flow.
Cdre (retd) Dr Anjum Sarfraz
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2022
