The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Development Working Party (DWP) sat together on 6th September 2022, to discuss the PC-Is of two important projects in Islamabad-The overhauling and expansion of Park Road, and the expansion of the Bhara Kahu bypass project.

The meeting was chaired by the CDA Chairman Retd. Capt. Muhammad Usman and attended by other respected officers of ministries of interior and Planning Commission.

In the meeting, it was decided to expand Park Road with the PC-I worth Rs 2 billion. It will be consumed for the rehabilitation and widening of a 7.4 km congested road due to the development of residential projects in Islamabad. 

The rehabilitation and widening of this two-lane road will facilitate the residents and locals of Banigala, Lakhwal, Rawal Town, Shehzad Town, Taramari, Park Enclave, and Chattha Bakhtawar.

Other than these facts, the traffic flow from NIH, Federal General Hospital, Allergy Center, Educational institutes, and marquees adds to the crowd and road blockage.

According to the concerned authorities, one extra lane will be built making it a three-lane road. But for the existing two lanes, the overhaul and repair work will be executed as soon as possible. 

Once the PC-I gets approved, the tender will be awarded to a deserving development company. The CDA engineer stated that” Once the PC-I is approved, we will have the choice to award the tender at an appropriate time subject to availability of funds.”

Another project is the Bhara Kahu Bypass expansion. Federal Government has prioritized this project because Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself ordered CDA to complete this project within four months. This 5 km road and 1 km flyover will start from Murree Road near Quaid-e-Azam University and end on Murree Road near Jugi stop. The flyover will end at the Bhara Kahu Bazar boundary that goes towards Murree. This project will include two interchanges and underpasses. The design is conducted by the Frontier Work Organization (FWO). The CDA Official stated that CDA and DWP will approve PC-I for this project and will engage FWO under rules 42(f) of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority. According to the rule, any government-run organization can directly assign the project to any other government-run organization.

The CDA official stated that “We are hopeful the construction work would formally be started in the next couple of weeks and completed within four months deadline set by the prime minister.”

Three major projects in Islamabad worth Rs 12 billion got approved 

Three projects in Islamabad got approved and will be executed under the self-financing by CDA. The meeting between CDA and DWP was arranged for the approval of two previously discussed projects, but the revised schedule of linking Margalla Road to E-11 was also presented and it got approved. The 5 km road will start from G.T Road and will lead up to D-12, with Khayaban-e-Iqbal near E-11. Here an interchange will also be built and the delivery time of this project is one year. 

DWP also approved Rs 2 billion for overhauling and expansion of Park Road. Moreover, it also directed CDA to construct a Metrobus station on Park Road during this project. It approved the expansion project of the Bhara Kahu bypass project under the budget of Rs 7 billion.

For the construction project, only the government-run organizations would be considered to bid.

According to the CDA officials, all four government organizations; Frontier Works Organization (FWO), National Logistics Cell (NLC), Railway Construction Pakistan Limited (Railcop), and National Construction Company would be asked to bid for the projects and the company with the lowest bid would be awarded the tender.