ISLAMABAD: Over 50pc of the work on Rawal Dam Interchange Project is pending and only seven months are left until its completion deadline. This indicates that there is a possibility that the project may not be completed within its stipulated deadline, sources have told Dawn.

However, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials are optimistic and think that the project will be completed under the given deadline (until October).

CDA Member Engineering CDA Sayed Munawar Shah visited the project site on Sunday, inspected ongoing work and issued directives for acceleration of work.

All available resources should be utilised for completion of the project, Mr Shah directed all departments concerned, said a press release issued by the authority after his visit.

CDA engineer says foundation work consumed time; officials optimistic in completing project within given deadline

A couple of months ago, CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed also visited the site and directed the engineering wing to get the project completed in the stipulated time.

An engineer of CDA said that foundation work of any project is a time consuming job and in this project, the main foundation work has been done and efforts are underway to get it completed in October.

The project, worth Rs1.1 billion, was inaugurated in July 2020, but work on it formally began in October two years ago.

A controversy regarding the project also emerged after unknown people, through letters made accusations about wrongdoing in the process of award of contract, incidentally, on the very day it was awarded to a joint venture of two companies.

Both won contracts for three important projects - Rawal Dam Interchange, PWD Interchange and widening of Korang Bridge.

CDA rejected all allegations mentioned in the anonymous letters and termed the project as “one most transparent” as it was awarded 11pc below the estimated cost.

During the last few years, due to increasing population in adjoining areas of Park Road, traffic congestion has become a problem at the site, where the interchange is being built.

The road is used as the main route towards several housing schemes and towns including CDA’s Park Enclaves (I, II, III) whereas, during the last decade or so, many educational institutions and wedding marquees have also been established in the area.

Residents of old villages such as Lakhwal, Kurri, Chatta Bakhtawar, Shahzad Town, Rawal Town,

Alipur Farash have also seen an increase in population that has resulted in traffic load on Park Road. Similarly, the residents of Banigala also use Park Road.

A CDA official said after completion of the said interchange project, the civic body would also have to expand the existing Park Road where traffic load has been increasing.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2022