- Project on halt due to lack of funds
ISLAMABAD: Expansion of the Islamabad Highway has been halted for the last one year owing to lapse of funds, failure to approve PC-1 on time and allocation of funds and also due to refusal of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
The mega project of Rs 21 billion aiming to cater the rampant urbanisation and mushrooming of the housing societies in the capital’s suburbs, the project of widening, upgradation and expansion of the Islamabad Highway from Zero Point to Rawat has seen unusual delays and lags. The highway not only connects mainland Islamabad with rest of Pakistan through motorway but also to Zone-V, home to housing societies like Bahria, DHA and Naval Anchorage and also midle-class localities like Ghori Town and Burma Town.
According to official documents, the project is expected to cost Rs21 billion (tentatively) and would be completed in four phases. The first phase of the expansion from Zero Point to Faizabad has recently been opened for the commuters. The project once completed in entirety will be 24km long, five lanes and the dual carriageway signal free/controlled access corridor of the highway. The first phase of the expansion from Zero Point to Faizabad and the second phase from Faizabad to the airport has been completed and opened for the commuters.
The main reason cited for the delay in payment is that the meeting of ECNEC has not been held since the new government has assumed power. Residents believe that the widening of the expressway was direly needed as the recurrent traffic jams were causing difficulties on daily basis. A CDA spokesperson said that the widening of the expressway was direly needed as the traffic jams were causing difficulties for everyone.