ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority on Wednesday started work to resolve expected traffic mess at F-10 roundabout after completion of ongoing flyover project on Jinnah Avenue in sector F-8.

It was expected that Jinnah Avenue project will ease the flow of traffic at one point only to pile it up and create a mess at F-10 roundabout, also known as McDonald Chowk.

However, CDA on Wednesday started remodeling of F-10 roundabout to resolve traffic congestion issue. The consultant Nespak prepared a design, proposing fish belly U-turns on Jinnah Avenue and Nazimuddin Road.

The consultant also proposed connecting both the roads after removing roundabout.

Replying to a question whether high speed traffic coming from F-8 and F-10 side on Jinnah Avenue towards G-10 side will not pose risk of accidents, CDA officials said that U-turns would be constructed at distance of 500 meter and this distance is enough for motorists to adjust traffic lane.

The contractor of the Jinnah Avenue project was authorised to do U-turns project as additional work.

“There was a demand of underpass, but we opted for U-turns, which will be built by the contractor of Jinnah Avenue Project as additional work,” said a deputy director of CDA.

He said that as per contract agreement, 15pc work could be carried out under the head of additional work.

The deputy director said that engineering wing of the CDA made modification in Jinnah Avenue underpass project removing the pile work in walls of underpass.

“So cost of the project had already been reduced and that funds could be used for remodeling of F-10 roundabout,” he said.

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.

The Jinnah Avenue project has two components – underpass for traffic coming from F-10 towards Blue Area side and flyover for traffic moving from F-8 to F-10 side. The underpass has been completed last month while work on the flyover is in progress, which according to CDA officials will be completed in stipulated time of 100 days.

The Serena interchange project could not be completedin 60 days deadline on Jan 5. The work is still in progress. Under this project, the CDA is constructing three underpasses one on Khayaban-i-Suhrawardi and two on Srinagar Highway.

The underpass on Suhrawardi Road is almost complete, but work on Srinagar Highway is still in progress.

The underpass on Srinagar Highway will be of no use for traffic coming from Murree side, unless it was connected with Srinagar Highway.

However, CDA officials said that a traffic solution is being finalised by CDA’s consultant to resolve connectivity issue between Murree Road and Srinagar Highway.

“We had announced to resolve both issues of F-10 roundabout and Murree Road, today we started work in F-10. Soon we will start work on connecting Murree traffic with Srinagar Highway,” said an official.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2025