Water viability from River Jhelum and Indus: CDA hires consultants to prepare feasibility

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has hired consultants to prepare feasibility on water viability from River Jhelum and Indus in order to overcome water shortage in the federal capital. Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao while addressing the inauguration ceremony of I J Principal Road phase I here on Wednesday.
The minister said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) is being restructured to generate its own finances to execute mega projects in Islamabad. After its revitalisation, the authority would not get grant money from the federal government, he added.
Aftab Sherpao also announced that the civic body would complete expansion, re-carpeting and rehabilitation of roads in the capital.
Over Rs 430 million have been earmarked for all roads in all sectors while rest of amount will be spent on major avenues and highways during the current fiscal year, he added. The minister said that CDA is all set to start physical work on two underpasses and a flyover in Islamabad to reduce traffic congestion in the metropolitan. The work will be started during next three months.
About the shortage of housing units in Islamabad, Sherpao said that CDA is planning to invite private builders to develop the new sectors on self-help basis as it is feared that Federal Capital might experience nearly 55, 000 plots or houses during coming four years.
We have taken steps like opening up of five new residential sectors in the federal capital, which would solve the housing problems and bring down the real estate prices. He said that physical work on development of D-12 and E-12 would be started by April 2005 after settling dispute with the affectees besides new sectors like I-14, 1-15 and I-16 have been launched.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman CDA Kamran Lashari said that Phase II of I J Principal Road will be opened for general traffic in April next year as two bridges being constructed on Nullah Leh and Pindora are under construction.
He said that re-carpeting and rehabilitation of Kashmir Highway linking Motorway (M 1) will be started within 15 days.
He further added that the highway would be have at least four lanes. It is worth mentioning that the PC-I for the construction of I.J. Principal Road from G.T. Road to Faizabad Interchange was approved by ECNEC in its meeting held on 03-05-2001 at a cost of Rs 932.571 million.
Keeping in view the availability of funds allocated by government it was planned to execute the work in two phases. The Phase-I of the project comprises stretch of road between G.T Road and Pirwadhai Intersection while the Phase-II is between Pirwadhai and Faizabad Interchange.
The Phase-I of the Project between G.T. Road and Pirwadhai Intersection (4.5 Km) was completed at a cost of Rs 117.869 million.
Although the Railway under pass is still incomplete, however the Northern Cell of Railway Underpass was recently made available to CDA by Railway Authorities.