Curious about day to day progress of Signal Free Corridor project of Islamabad Highway, hundreds of motorists and commuters are anxiously waiting for its completion so that their travelling woes could lessen.
They are even happily bearing a regular traffic jam at I-8 signal, where an interchange is being constructed and are ready to endure the same at other points of the highway as well, as they know that this temporary inconvenience will ultimately end up into a joy ride.
Work on first phase of the project – from Zero Point to Faizabad interchange – seem to be near completion except the interchange at I-8 where pillars of the bridge are being erected.
“The progress of project till now is up to the mark as majority of work on first phase has been accomplished while pillars of I-8 interchange have also been constructed,” said Capital Development Authority (CDA) spokesman Ramzan Sajid while talking to APP.
He said the deadline of the first phase was February 2016, but it would hopefully be completed till December.
But, some have reservations on the planning of the project as they consider that the most troublesome part of the road, from Koral Chowk to GT road Rawat, is put in the last phase of the project, which is beyond understanding.
Thousands of people are living in the newly established housing societies at Zone 5 alongside the highway including PWD housing society, Media town, Behria town and others, who travel daily to the central city for one pretext or the other.
They are counting days when their plight would be heard and work would start at this very section where driving has become an art, rather a hazard, due to heavy vehicular movement and ruthless driving by public transporters.
“This section does not deserve to be called a highway as its two dilapidated lanes are often choked when a truck breaks down in the middle, causing inconvenience for not only motorists but Ambulances as well which often stuck in the traffic jam,” said Zulfiqar Shah, a resident of Soan Gardens located at the highway.
He requested the authorities concerned to start work on this phase parallel to Phase One in order to facilitate thousands of motorists and commuters.
“Work should be started on phase three of the project after the completion of phase one, as this portion needs immediate attention,” said Zahoor Ahmed, a resident of Media Town.
It is pertinent to mention that expansion of this 12.5 km portion of the road is included in the scope of Signal-free Corridor project and it would be expanded into four lanes on each side with grade separated facility.
Being established with a cost of Rs. 21.814 billion, the Islamabad Signal-free Corridor would be executed in three phases.
In the second phase existing five lanes of 8.5 km road, from Faizabad to Koral Chowk, would be rehabilitated with the addition of grade separated facility while service roads on either side would also be dualized and rehabilitated.
The project embeds six interchanges, including full cloverleaf interchanges each at I-8 intersection, Khanna intersection and Koral Chowk, while partial cloverleaf interchanges at Sohan and GT road. Moreover, Faizabad interchange would also be upgraded.
In addition to these, six vehicular underpasses and overpasses would also be constructed at different busy locations.
though project is fine but work is too slow. service road from faizabad to koral chowk should be built on 1st priority basis as it can share load of traffic koral chowk is choked every day.
cda authorities should look into this matter urgently..mohammad akram abid advocate.
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