Despite the lapse of four years, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to finalise the long delayed Zero Point interchange project. The construction work on the two loops of zero point interchange including the loop that joined the Kashmir Highway to the Islamabad Highway and the second one that linked sector H-8 with sector G-8 had been stopped by the contractor due to unavailability of funds.
The deadline for the completion of the project was September 2010, but instead of completing the project on time, an incomplete project was inaugurated by then Prime Minister (PM) Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani.
Motorists have had severe problems due to the delay in the construction of these two loops. Motorists while talking to Pakistan Today said that the project was formally inaugurated by the former PM Yousaf in 2011, but years have passed and the construction work was still not completed.
They said that the poor condition of the H-8 and G-8 intersection had always been a problem for motorists. “Several times we have demanded the authorities concerned for the immediate completion of this section, but the authorities are not listening to us,” they added.
The project manager of zero point interchange Mumtaz Hussain while talking to this scribe said that almost all construction work on the interchange had been completed. He said that lack of funds was the basic reason of delay in the project. He said that these two loops had been made functional for the vehicles and the remaining work of carpeting would be completed soon. He said that negotiations between the CDA and the contractor were expected in few days in this regard.
Meanwhile the CDA had not yet started work on the pedestrian bridge near Pakistan Monument loop due to which the residents of Sector G-7, students of various educational institutions and officials of several offices located near the Pakistan Monument were facing severe problems while crossing the monument loop. It is pertinent to mention here that earlier the CDA had announced to install two pedestrian bridges on the zero point interchange.
The CDA had completed the installation of one pedestrian bridge in front of zero point interchange but not a single stone had been laid for the installation of the second bridge on the busiest point of the area. The CDA official in this regard informed that due to the lack of funds, the pedestrian bridge on the monument loop would take four to five months to be installed.