ISLAMABAD: The flyover of Rawal Dam interchange project is expected to open to traffic after one week as constant rains have hampered asphalt work.

According to the target set by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the flyover was supposed to be opened on Monday (today), however, officials said due to the ongoing rain spells during the last few days, the flyover would be opened after one week, provided that rain is mild.

A senior CDA officer told Dawn on Sunday that work on the flyover was almost complete despite heavy rains in Islamabad and initial asphalt work would be started in the next couple of days. He said base work had been completed and on Saturday, CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed and his team’s vehicles used the flyover to inspect construction work.

“Flyover after proper compaction and asphalt will be opened for traffic in four to five days provided rains remain mild,” he said, adding that granular material along with sand fill and rocks was used for filling so that ongoing rains do not compromise quality. However, he said as abundant precaution, more compaction would be carried out and some segments had been excavated and redone to remove any damage.

CDA officials say work affected due to constant rain spells

“Our target is to open the flyover bridge to traffic within one week. Meanwhile, balance works including underpass are likely to be completed within one month,” the officer said.

A press release issued by the CDA stated that due to special interest of the management, the project had entered its final stages, adding that filling work had been completed on both ramps of the interchange. Instructions have been issued to the formation concerned to carry out more compaction to minimise the effects of recent rains on construction activities in order to ensure provision of high and quality travel facilities.

The management has issued instructions to the departments concerned calling for work to be accelerated. All available resources should be utilised so the project can be completed on time, the press release stated.

According to the PC-I, the project is supposed to be completed in October this year and CDA officials are expecting that they would complete it by first week of September.

The project, worth Rs1.1 billion, was inaugurated in July 2020, but work on it formally began in October of the same year, which is to be completed in October this year.

Earlier, CDA faced a setback when contractors (a joint venture of two companies) after completing 50 percent work stopped it halfway, earlier this year, due to the rise in prices of construction materials. The work remained suspended for a couple of months until CDA engaged Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to finish it.

During his visit to the construction site, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an inquiry into it and said that it must be completed by September this year. Since then, the CDA management has been making effort to complete it in accordance with the deadline set by the prime minister.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2022