ISLAMABAD: The city managers are all set to start work on the dualisation of Attaturk Avenue, commonly known as Embassy Road, from Khayaban-i-Suhurwardhy to Ayub Chowk.

Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz on Monday conducted the groundbreaking of the project worth Rs235 million which will be completed in a year.

The road will be dualised with the addition of one more lane of 24 feet and a nine-foot shoulder (emergency lane). A bridge and two box culverts are also included in the project.

Originally, Attaturk Avenue was a service road of 6th Avenue whose principal road is yet to be constructed.

Besides, the CDA engineering wing has also started work on a slip road to remove traffic jams at Serena Chowk. The slip road is being constructed on Murree Road to link it with Kashmir Highway near Serena Chowk. Traffic coming from Rawalpindi on Murree Road will use the slip road to avoid Serena Chowk. Two protected U-turns on Kashmir Highway are also planned.

“Ataturk Avenue is the major access to Diplomatic Enclave, Pak Secretariat, Parliament House and Red Zone and this project is of immense importance,” said the mayor.

Member Planning Asad Mehboob Kayani, who holds the acting charge of Member Engineering, said according to the CDA master plan the dualised Attaturk Avenue/6th Avenue would have to touch Margalla Avenue. But currently there is no need for dualising it as the main traffic flow on Attaturk Avenue is from its starting point - Khayaban-i-Suhurwardhy to Ayub Chowk near Marriott.

“In this phase, we will dualise it up to Ayub Chowk. In future, the road will be dualised up to Margalla Avenue,” he said, adding the project would help ease traffic conjunctions at various points.

A portion of a cricket ground and tennis courts will be affected by the dualisation of the road.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2017