The much-feared disputes have started to surface between Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) as the bifurcation of civic agency is currently in progress and is yet to materialise.
Many development projects and maintenance projects of roads, public parks, construction of infrastructure, water supply, footpaths in markets and localities have come to a complete halt, as many of CDA’s directorates are in the process of being completely transferred to IMC.
In a recent episode, both civic agencies locked horns over the 5 billion funds that were given to CDA as a loan by the ministry of finance to re-carpet and rehabilitate the roads of Islamabad. The major portion of the project pertaining to the construction of roads in major sectors like F-6, F-7, F-8, F-10, F-11, G-6, G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10, and G-11 stands completed. However, CDA failed to initiate work on the main IJP Road which has been in shambles for past many years.
Since the IMC inherited the upkeep and maintenance of markets and centres in the capital, CDA didn’t carpet or attend to a single road in and around the markets or centres. The authorities at IMC think of being wronged by the civic agency on this count.
The tug-of-war between nascent IMC under the reign of Mayor Ansar Aziz and CDA continues as the citizens of capital suffer from one of the most severe water crisis to hit Islamabad since its inception.
“We elected our representatives in local bodies’ elections. Now, we hardly see or hear from them. The power struggle between CDA and IMC is only making the life of citizens hard. Now that we have a mayor and our own members in power, we won’t blame CDA for the problems and water crisis. It is the foremost responsibility of our representative to deliver on the promises they made during the election campaign. Water supply has been transferred to the corporation and the mayor is to be blamed if he fails to supply water around the city,” said Ali Mufti, an economist, and resident of sector G-11.