ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) seems oblivious to expected massive traffic mess at F-10 roundabout after completion of the ongoing underpass and flyover project on Jinnah Avenue F-8.

After its completion, this project will ease the flow of traffic at one point only to pile it up and create a mess at the next - F-10 roundabout also known as McDonald Chowk already facing traffic congestion.

Currently, CDA is executing the mega project to construct an underpass and flyover on Jinnah Avenue. Work continues at full pace round the clock, but it seems the CDA is unaware of the expecting traffic congestion on F-10 roundabout when the project would be completed.

After completion of the project, Jinnah Avenue will be signal free from D-Chowk to F-10 roundabout after passing through the underpass. Speeding vehicles within few seconds will reach F-10, which is hardly two kilometres from this point.

From this underpass to F-10, there is no link road as the road passes in front of F-9 Park and it is expected that the drivers will further push their accelerators in the area to reach their destination.

The foundations of the project on Jinnah Avenue and 9th Avenue as well as Serena underpasses project were laid by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently, setting the target of completing the Jinnah Avenue project in 100 days.

A retired federal secretary, who lives in F-10 and E-11, contacted Dawn and shared his apprehension about the expected traffic mess on F-10 roundabout. His point of views was seconded by several engineers Dawn spoke to and they also feared gridlocks at F-10 roundabout.

“The need to make F-8/9th Avenue intersection signal free was overdue. Construction on it has now started which is welcome. However, no thought has been given to what will happen at the next intersection when all the speeding vehicles will suddenly converge on the F10 roundabout moving ahead on the Nazimuddin Road towards F10/F11 and beyond. This huge roundabout is already choked most of the time with traffic police forced to managing it unsuccessfully specially during rush hours (schools, colleges and offices),” the former secretary said.

He said that the least that was required was an underpass for the traffic to move unhindered towards Nazimuddin Road. This has become even more urgent because of the dozens of high-rises in Blue Area that are nearing completion near this intersection.

Meanwhile, a private engineer said F-10 roundabout was already congested and a safety hazard. “After completion of ongoing project, the situation will go from bad to worse,” he said and added that to avoid accidents, an underpass was imperative and until it was constructed, smart actuated traffic signals should be installed as stop-gap arrangements.

“Navigating the roundabout will be highly difficult after completion of ongoing project,” he said and added that instead of in pieces the CDA should have simultaneously started work on F-10 underpass as well.

Meanwhile, an official of CDA said the civic agency face the same situation during former chairman Kamran Lashari’s time when 9th Avenue was constructed and speedy vehicles used to face congestions at Peshawar Mor area. However, the CDA constructed an underpass over there immediately.

“The design of F-10 underpass, which is part of 10th Avenue, is already completed and this is right time for CDA to start construction of the underpass as well so that both projects are completed simultaneously,” said a deputy director of the CDA.

“There are several solutions available provided the CDA management realises outcome of the ongoing project,” he said.

When contacted, CDA’s director media Shahid Kiani after getting input from member engineering said: “Our main focus is ongoing Jinnah Avenue project. As far as F-10 roundabout is concerned, its traffic solution is in design phase and its implementation will also be done in due course of time to overcome the future problem.”

Published in Dawn, November 22th, 2024