“The Capital Development Authority (CDA) will spend Rs 257 million on the improvement of Ankara Park, located on the Club Road. The civic body is pursuing a comprehensive and integrated programme for the up gradation and provision of quality entertainment facilities in the other parks of the city as part of its efforts for improving the environment of the federal capital.”
This was stated by CDA Chairman Engineer Farkhand Iqbal, while briefing apprising Prime Minister’s Task Force on Islamabad Chairman Faisal Sakhi Butt, during a visit to Ankara Park to inspect the development work being carried out by the authority. Members of the task force, CDA Member Environment, Mian Waheeduddin and other senior officers were also present on the occasion. The CDA chairman said the ongoing developments in the parks were being completed on a priority basis, while missing facilities, especially in the small parks, were being provided. The underdevelopment facilities would soon be opened for the public to add colours to the beauty of the federal capital and provide quality entertainment infrastructure to the residents, he added.
Farkhand apprised the task force that PC-I for the development and up-gradation of the Ankara Park had been completed and work would soon commence. It would be equipped with the beautiful and state-of-the-art fountain to provide unprecedented entertainment to the residents and the people visiting Islamabad from within the country and abroad. He said the up-gradation included establishment of story gardens, soft landscaping and spacious parking facility. He also apprised the chairman of the task force that 90 percent development work in the Fatima Jinnah (F-9) Park was already completed and efforts had been geared up to complete the remaining work so that the residents could avail the facilities being developed for their entertainment.
Butt asked the CDA to restore the natural beauty of the natural streams and nullahs flowing through the capital city. He said different households and slums constructed along these ravines and natural streams channelled their sewage into these nullahs, which further deteriorated the situation. The CDA chairman immediately directed the officials concerned to appoint an independent project director and actively pursue different measures being taken in this regard.
Butt said further that the prime minister had directed for development of entertainment facilities on modern line, as per international standards with the assurance of all the precautionary safety measure and environmental friendly initiatives to provide quality entertainment to the people visiting Islamabad as the Federal Capital is the face of the country. He said that all the illegal connections of the sewage being channelled into the natural streams should be plugged and the process of up-gradation of these streams and that of the imposing fines for illegal connections should be proceeded simultaneously.