ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) while expanding its scope of work is going to launch mega development projects in rural areas and has called bids in this regard.

The engineering wing has called tenders from construction firms to award contracts of 17 projects worth Rs2.8 billion in the first phase of the total Rs10 billion projects for rural areas.

The 17 projects are supposed to be completed in three month as sources said the government wanted early and timely completion of all the development works in Islamabad.

According to the tender documents, the CDA will carry out rehabilitation and upgradation work on Shah Allah Ditta road up to Alexander Well with Rs380 million estimated cost while rehabilitation of the main Golra Road will be carried out at a cost of Rs144 million and that of Jodh and Sarai Kharboza road with an estimated cost of Rs135 million.

Under another project worth Rs130 million, roads in Golra, Sangjani and other areas will be rehabilitated.

Tender called for award of contracts to rehabilitate roads worth Rs2.8 billion

Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of Simly Dam road, Sewer and Jandghand roads will be done with an estimated cost of Rs120 million. Similarly, a project worth Rs141 million for rehabilitation of roads in Gokina, Mandla and Bari Imam, Sanjalian and Banigala will also be carried out.

Through a project of Rs160 million, Phulgran and Sakreela and Member roads will be rehabilitated while Rs151 million will be spent on the construction of Naiabadi to Huzaifa Town road and internal roads of Bhara Kahu and Malpur.

The rehabilitation of Sihala Japan road and other schemes for Khana, Golra Mast and other rural areas are also included in the tender documents.

“We took ICT’s local department on board for these projects; they helped us and identified the areas, towns and roads. We then prepared PC-I and now our advertisement will be published for calling tenders,” said CDA’s director work Tahir Mahmood. He said the schemes had equally been distributed among all union councils.

Asked about the bid documents which focused on road works, he said: “Besides roads, streets work is also included and soon another tender will be called in the second phase.”

Traditionally, the CDA used to carry out development work only in urban areas and on some occasions it constructed roads in rural areas as well.

Islamabad’s local government department, which falls under the administrative control of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, used to do development work in rural areas.

However, for the first time in the history of the CDA it is going to start development works in Union Councils in all three constituencies of Islamabad.

In February this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a meeting had given the go-ahead signal to the CDA to carry out mega development projects worth Rs10 billion in rural areas.

However, PML-N Secretary General NA-53 Sardar Mehtab Advocate said these projects had nothing to do with politics and upcoming elections rather the CDA is going to carry out due work in rural areas.

Mr Mehtab, who is also a former additional legal adviser to the CDA, said according to CDA Ordinance 1960 the civic agency was supposed to do development projects in entire Islamabad.

“Regardless of party affiliation, people of rural areas deserve provision of all basic facilities and there should be no urban and rural divide,” he said.

Last year, the CDA had showed its willingness to carry out development work in the rural areas, and a proposal in this regard was taken up by the CDA’s Development Working Party (DWP). However, the matter was deferred as the federal government’s approval was required.

The prime minister finally gave the go-ahead to the CDA to initiate development work in the rural areas in February.

According to a press release issued by the PM Office in February, when Prime Minister Sharif was informed that the CDA had earmarked Rs10 billion for the rural areas. The prime minister was told that the fund would be utilised on solid waste management projects, sewerage system, construction of roads, repair work and on schemes related to public transport.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2023