Construction of speed breakers: CDA violates its own laws

Violating its own laws, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has allowed construction of four speed breakers in front of the residences of two high officials of the authority located at Sector I-8 service road (Haji Abdullah Haroon Road), creating serious problems for motorists.
“The construction of speed breakers on a service road is a complete violation of the CDA’s laws and one can construct a speed breaker on a street after taking permission from the civic body’s relevant directorate,” a senior official of the CDA told Pakistan Today on condition of anonymity.
He said the CDA had constructed speed breakers over the busy I-8 service road in front of the residences of CDA Member Estate Khaild Mirza and Deputy Director Khalid. “These officials have misused their powers by constructing the speed breakers without obtaining permission from the relevant directorate,” he said.
The official said that any resident facing some problem due to traffic could contact Traffic Engineering Directorate of the CDA. The head of the directorate would visit the site and, if necessary, allow installation of cat eyes road reflectors.
The official said that the deputy director had set up the speed breakers one year ago while the member estate had violated the CDA laws a few days ago. “They openly misuse their power”, he said.
This scribe visited the site and found that these officials had not only constructed the speed breakers but had also set up a car parking by encroaching upon the greenbelt located near Kachnar Park.
A number of residents of the area said that the CDA would be responsible for any accident caused by these speed breakers. The high-ups of the CDA must take action against these officials and remove these breakers as soon as possible to ensure smooth flow of traffic, they said. They also said that the CDA official had encroached upon the CDA’s land and demanded the civic body retrieve it immediately.
Ramzan Sajid, spokesman for the CDA, when contacted, said the speed breakers on the service road had been constructed in front of a school. When asked about the four speeds breakers on I-8 service road, he said he would look into the matter.