Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao announced on Thursday that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has appointed consultants to prepare feasibility on water supply to Islamabad from River Indus or Jhelum to overcome the acute water shortage. He also announced construction of two underpasses at the Jinnah Avenue, besides expansion of Capital's biggest commercial market, Blue Area to reduce traffic mess.
He made these remarks while addressing a gathering at the inauguration of Korang and Gumrah bridges at main Islamabad Carriageway, completed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) at a cost of Rs 730 million.
The civic body is considering a comprehensive long-term plan to supply water from Ghazi Barotha Power Project (GBHP) and River Jhelum to Islamabad. For this purpose, the authority has floated tenders for national and international consultants to assess the viability of the project.
The water situation in Islamabad is deteriorating with every passing day as the water level has dropped at the two major water reservoirs (Simly and Khanpur) owing to insufficient rains in the catchment areas.
The consultants will start their work on PC 1 of the two mega water projects soon, Sherpao said.
The minister said that Blue Area would be given a spectacular and beautiful look and road extension plan is in the pipeline to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
The construction of Zero Point flyover will also be started soon and PC-1 of the project had already been prepared, he said, adding that the CDA would provide all the necessary funds from its own resources.
Sherpao said that the development work on road expansion, beautification, sectoral development and park renovation is in full swing, and Islamabad would be made modern city of the world by 2007.
He said that work on G-13 development project has been started and development of four new sectors would be started soon.
He also said that D-12 and E-12 sectors would not be thrown into cold storage and development of these mega projects would begin as per the recommendations of the cabinet committee comprising four federal ministers as per Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's directives during the last federal cabinet meeting.
CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari said that the private investors would be involved in beautifying the capital, besides making it more affordable for living.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also approved a package to compensate those people whose lands were acquired for the development of sectors D-12 and E-12. He also approved, in principle, to cancel the awards announced in 1985 for the two sectors.
Earlier, Sherpao accompanied by Minister of State for Interior Shahzad Waseem inaugurated two bridges at the Korang and Gumrah on main Islamabad Highway.
CDA Member Engineering Brigadier Ghulam Ahmed Bukhari briefed the minister about the bridges. He said that the projects were started in 1999, which was to be completed in two years, but it took more than five years due to various reasons.
Sherpao expressed annoyance over the delay of such an important bridge at highway due to which the CDA bore a loss of million of rupees.