ISLAMABAD: The 28-kilometre long Islamabad Expressway, one of the main arteries of the Capital, has no landscaping plan which speaks volumes about the seriousness of the concerned authorities in doing their job.
Currently, both the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) have no plan to carry out beautification measures on the expressway, which is used daily by thousands of visitors arriving in the Capital from various parts of the country and abroad.
Talking to APP, official sources in MCI said that the persistent rift between MCI and CDA over fund sharing was blocking its way to materialise eco-friendly initiatives along major thoroughfares. “When there are no funds, there are no plans”, they remarked.
They said that they had worked out several plans to make the capital clean and green including the installation of road furniture and tree plantation but most of them could not be materialised due to the paucity of funds.
To a question, the official said that CDA had planned several development projects along Islamabad Highway to beat its daily traffic jams as “this is also another reason behind the delay of up gradation of the artery”.
“Keeping in MCI’s meagre resources in mind, the department was focusing to promote a public-private partnership to give Islamabad a civilised look,” the official expressed.
He said they had planted around 0.25 million of saplings in the last monsoon season out of which 90,000 were planted by people.
Meanwhile, the sources in CDA said that the Finance Division had held their fund releases for 3rd and 4th quarter of this year due to non-utilisation of previously allocated funds which resulted in the delay of several development projects.
Environmentalist Ijaz Ahmed said that the highway built after the 60s to connect the federal capital with Rawalpindi, Grand Trunk (GT) road and other intra-city major thoroughfares gradually lost their beauty due to mushrooming housing societies along the road.
“The expressway which welcomed its commuters with a scenic view of Margalla hills till the dawn of 21st century had also hidden behind the tall buildings which were built illegally by some elements,” he alleged.
He said some 20 years ago, a commuter on the Islamabad Expressway was supposed to receive cool winds in summer season due to the high number of long and green trees which were unfortunately removed by the builders.
To a question, he stressed on a public-private partnership which may help the authorities concerned to escape their financial constraints.
A commuter Ramzan Arif said that the concerned authorities were reluctant to the beautification of major arteries and only remained committed to allowing the housing societies to boost their businesses.
He said a clean and green environment was a fundamental right of every citizen and the present government had launched a countrywide drive in this regard.
“It seems the departments concerned are totally oblivious to the initiative,” he said as he urged the civic agency to follow the ‘Clean and Green Drive’ in true letter and spirit.
