Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reviewed progress on multiple development projects in Islamabad during a late night visit on Thursday following the Pakistan Sri Lanka cricket match in Rawalpindi. He chaired a meeting at the CDA headquarters where senior officials briefed him on the status of key infrastructure initiatives currently underway across the capital. After the meeting he inspected work sites including Shaheen Chowk, T Chowk flyover and the expansion works at Faizabad interchange.
During the site visits the minister directed the Capital Development Authority to further accelerate construction activity. According to project documents these projects were originally scheduled for completion between March and April but due to fast paced execution most of the work is already near completion. Senior engineers informed the minister that around 80 percent work on the T Chowk flyover and 65 percent on Shaheen Chowk had been completed. The expansion of the loops at the Faizabad interchange was also progressing with nearly 70 percent work finished.
The minister instructed the CDA to complete all ongoing projects by the end of next month. He emphasized the expansion of a traffic loop used by vehicles arriving from Murree which he said must be completed on priority to ease congestion. Officials accompanying the minister said he showed particular interest in the improvement of road infrastructure to support smoother traffic flow across the metropolitan area.
During the inspection Mohsin Naqvi also asked for updates on the long pending expansion of Margalla Avenue from GT Road to Peshawar Motorway. He directed the CDA to initiate work on this project without further delay. The Margalla Avenue extension is considered a critical link road aimed at reducing travel time and diverting traffic away from overloaded arteries.
Earlier at the CDA headquarters the management presented several proposals including the construction of a cricket stadium near D 12, development of the Kashmir Chowk underpass, establishment of new hotels, a modern convention centre and redesigning of service roads along the Expressway with mixed use commercial zones. The planning wing briefed the minister on a pilot concept to develop commercial areas along a two kilometre stretch of the Expressway.
Some CDA officials however noted that reducing the right of way of the Expressway would require amendments to Islamabad’s master plan. Supporters of the idea argued that illegal construction and encroachments were rapidly occupying state land and that planned commercial development would be a better use of the space. The minister concluded the meeting by directing the CDA to take firm steps to remove illegal structures and expedite all assigned tasks.
