CDA Resumes Road Project After 17 Years

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) plans to finish a segment of Margalla Road that hasn’t been completed since 2007. This portion of the project, starting from the boundary of Constitution Avenue, will connect to Bari Imam Road near the memorial.

The groundwork for this road was initially completed during President Pervez Musharraf’s administration, but the project was paused in 2007.

Last week, CDA resumed construction, with its own Machinery Pool Organisation (MPO) overseeing the 1.5 km stretch.

A CDA representative mentioned that after this segment is completed, there may be a need to either widen the existing Bari Imam Road or create a new 3 km road to connect Margalla Avenue with Murree Road.

Linking the new bypass to Murree Road is expected to greatly benefit residents traveling between Islamabad, Murree, and Kashmir, allowing them to reach Murree Road near Quaid-i-Azam University quickly, thus avoiding the typical traffic congestion near Lakeview Chowk during weekends, the representative added.

However, another officer involved in the project mentioned that the current priority is finishing the 1.5 km road, which has remained incomplete for the last 17 years. The connection to Murree Road will be considered once this is done.

The project was originally halted in 2007 due to “security concerns,” but Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently addressed these issues, enabling the CDA to resume work following his instructions.

On Monday, CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa, along with other officials, visited the site to inspect the ongoing progress.

According to a press release, the chairman was informed about the relocation of Iesco’s power lines at the site, which is currently underway. Despite the heavy monsoon rains slowing down the work, approximately 70% of the base work on the southern carriageway has been finished, and 1km of base work on the northern carriageway is also completed.

The CDA chairman noted that completing this part of Margalla Avenue will greatly enhance traffic flow in the city.

He also visited the Jinnah Convention Centre and received a briefing on the ongoing renovation and refurbishment work there. He emphasized the need to accelerate the renovation process and ensure that international standards are maintained, as stated in the press release.