Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been unable to complete the expansion of Ataturk Road, a major thoroughfare in the capital city, which was approved in July 2018. Due to increasing traffic volume, IMC and CDA decided to dualise Ataturk Avenue to ensure smooth flow of traffic last year which prompted CDA to mow down hundreds of trees in less than 24 hours.
Director Regional Planning, Arshad Chohan while talking to Business Recorder said the pace of work had remained slow due to issues relating to electricity and water supply lines in the area. Chohan claimed that when work began CDA paid Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) to lay down electricity lines according to a master plan which specified where to lay the electricity and water supply lines. Iesco did not follow through and placed electricity lines on the wrong side and is now demanding Rs 25 million more to re-do the work.
Chohan claimed that CDA had given the additional amount to CDA and directed the concerned officers to coordinate with Iesco for immediate shifting of electricity lines. The water supply wing of the civic agency was directed to shift its supply lines too. He acknowledged that completion of Ataturk Avenue, previously known as Embassy Road, would help ease traffic congestion in the area.
The project began in 2017 but was stopped for almost a year because of criticism over cutting of trees. CDA planted 3,000 trees to compensate for those it had cut and restarted the project after the environment protection tribunal allowed the project to proceed. According to PC-1, CDA would expand the road from Khayaban-i-Suharwardy to Ayub Chowk near Marriott Hotel. A 24-foot lane and a nine-foot shoulder will be added to the road and a bridge and two box culverts are also part of the project.