ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s board on Friday approved slight realignment of Margalla Road near Shah Allah Ditta to save a century-old graveyard.

The board approved shifting of the road towards the southern side and C-13, D-12 to preserve the graveyard. The construction work on Phase I of Margalla Road (from GT Road to D-12) is near completion as over 70pc work has already been completed. However, the contractor, Frontier Work Organisation (FWO), has been facing an issue in the area due to the graveyard.

The CDA board, which met with Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed in the chair, approved the realignment and directed the member estate to start the process of compensating those whose houses will fall in the new alignment.

Earlier, the CDA was planning to construct either a tunnel or a flyover to avoid the graveyard.

The portion of the road starts from G.T. Road and ends in D-12 from where after construction of an interchange and a small portion of 11th Avenue it will be linked with Khayaban-i-Iqbal.

Under-construction road to be shifted towards southern side near Shah Allah Ditta to save century-old graveyard

The 33-km long Margalla Road from G.T. Road to Bhara Kahu is part of Islamabad’s master plan. However, the CDA decided to construct it in three phases.

According to the CDA, two phases will be constructed this year and the third one in the future, when a need arises.

Under the first phase (from G.T. Road to D-12), work is in progress and officials believed that it will be completed in September this year.

In the second phase, an eight-km-long Bhara Kahu bypass will be constructed from Murree Road near Quaid-i-Azam University to Satra Meel. However, there is no serious development regarding the second phase (Bhara Kahu bypass) as the CDA is yet to approve its PC-I.

Sources said during the board meeting, the issue of the Bhara Kau bypass was also discussed and the board decided that Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) will be allotted land in lieu of its land which will fall in the alignment of the bypass road.

Park View Society

On the direction of Supreme Court, the management of Park View Society was given a hearing by the CDA board. After listening to the point of view of the society’s representatives, the board decided that it will make a decision after receiving a report from the Islamabad Capital Territory(ICT) administration and orders of the Supreme Court.

The non-objection certificate (NOC) of the society was cancelled by CDA a couple of years ago as Islamabad High Court pointed out several legal and procedural flaws. However, the management of the society filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, which recently directed the CDA to listen to the grievances of the society.

Regularisation of employees

Meanwhile, the board approved regularisation of 140 lower staff of the CDA subject to fulfillment of rules and regulations and recommendations of departmental recruitment committee.

The board also approved a post of paediatrician in BPS-19 at the Capital Hospital to provide better health services to the staff and residents of Islamabad. It also approved allocation of four kanals to the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) for setting up a rehabilitation centre at G-11.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2022