ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Tuesday announced that both cafeterias at the site of Diplomatic Shuttle Service have been sealed for providing substandard food to visa seekers.

A statement issued by the CDA said on the direction of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa made unexpected visit to the site and found substandard food at both cafeterias. He directed the municipal wing to send food samples to the food authority.

Furthermore, he also found an illegal small cattle site set up by the contractor of the shuttle service.

The statement said the CDA chief also took notice of filthy washrooms and poor hygienic arrangements and ordered ordered the overhauling and beautification of the site within three weeks and directed for providing best facilities to citizens.

The other day, CDA after ending the role of private contractor, started its own bus service for visa seekers.

Mr Randhawa also directed the CDA to introduce digital smart parking system in the Diplomatic Enclave shuttle service area, directing that all payments from citizens in the digital smart parking system be collected online, and no cash payments be accepted under the smart parking initiative.

The CDA, through 10 electric buses, started the Diplomatic Shuttle Bus service and during the first two days, around 2,100 citizens used this facility.

Earlier, the private contractors, who were allowed to get Rs500 per person for coaster round trip and Rs1,000 for high-roof van trip, had been overcharging the passengers and besides approved bus service, they were also illegally running private car services, minting up to Rs20,000 per trip from citizens.

Separately, the CDA Chief along with relevant senior officials visited the Serena Chowk and Jinnah Avenue Interchange projects. The Serena interchange project was supposed to be completed after 60 days on January 5, but it missed the deadline. The press release said that Chairman was briefed that the work on the underpass on Khayaban-i-Soharwardy Road and the carpeting of the connected access roads has entered its final stages.

He directed that the slip roads and access roads be opened for traffic, and emphasized that they should be opened for the convenience of the public.

He was told that construction work is progressing rapidly on all sections, including the underpasses at Serena Interchange and Convention Chowk, and all obstacles in the Serena Interchange project have been cleared, with 24/7 construction activities underway.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2025