ISLAMABAD: City managers on Monday decided to expand a portion of Srinagar Highway with construction of an underpass near Serena Chowk and widening of Jinnah Avenue in G-9 and F-9 sections.

The Capital Development Authority Development Working Party (CDA-DWP) which met here at CDA headquarters with Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal in the chair discussed various development projects.

Besides CDA officers, the meeting was also attended by representatives of the Planning Commission.

The officials approved hiring a consultant, who will prepare a feasibility report and design of expansion of Srinagar Highway from 7th Avenue Interchange to Serena Chowk, where an underpass will also be constructed to resolve the issue of traffic congestion.

Under this project, cyclist tracks will also be setup on either sides of the road.

An amount of Rs8.5 million was also approved for this projct.

The consultant is supposed to complete his work in two months. The meeting also approved a PC-I worth Rs482.6 million for widening of Jinnah Avenue at G-9/F-9 section. The road will be expanded and two more lanes will be added besides the cyclist track.

The project is supposed to be completed within six months.

The meeting also approved consultancy service for feasibility and engineering design for construction of the National Bus Terminal to be built in sector I-11 and an amount of Rs10 million has been approved for it.

The terminal will be for a public bus service and the consultant will conduct a study to connect it with the existing metro buses network.

The consultant will complete his work in two months time.

The meeting also approved a PC-I worth Rs52 million regarding provision of security gates at various places in the Red Zone.

Sources said that two other agenda items - one mega project related to development and infrastructure facilities in rural areas of Islamabad and development of Chatta Bakhtawar project — have been deferred.

They added that CDA’s engineering wing, through its own funding, wanted to carry out the multi-billion development projects in rural areas as well, through a two year project, however, the meeting decided to defer this.

It was decided that input from the federal government should also be taken before this project is taken up again. The CDA has been focusing mainly on urban areas. The PTI government carried out some development projects in rural areas as well that included construction of Malal bridge and Kayani bridge.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2023