The first phase will cover 3.5km from E-11 Interchange to Srinagar Highway, while the complete 7.5km road project has an approved cost of Rs24.5 billion.
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) plans to execute Islamabad’s long-awaited 11th Avenue project in two phases, prioritising the road section between E-11 Interchange and Srinagar Highway.
The full project has an approved cost of Rs24.5 billion and is designed to connect Margalla Avenue with IJP Road, creating an additional major route across the federal capital.
First phase to cover 3.5 kilometres
The first phase will cover approximately 3.5 kilometres, running from E-11 Interchange to Srinagar Highway. It will also include the construction of an interchange on Srinagar Highway to improve connections between the two major road corridors.
A CDA engineering official said the project was currently in the pre-tendering stage and could formally start within two months. The timeline remains subject to the completion of the necessary preparation and tendering process.
An engineer estimated that the first phase, including its interchange, could cost around Rs11 billion to Rs12 billion. However, this is a preliminary estimate, and the final cost allocation is still being worked out.
Full project to include 17 bridges and overpasses
According to the approved project plan, the complete 11th Avenue corridor will extend approximately 7.5 kilometres, with three traffic lanes on each side. Around 17 bridges and overpasses are included in the wider scheme.
The planned route will run from IJP Road, passing between the I-10 and I-11 sectors and the G-10, G-11, F-10 and F-11 sectors before reaching E-11 Interchange.
Once the first phase is completed, the new connection is expected to link Srinagar Highway with Margalla Avenue and distribute traffic across both Margalla Road and Srinagar Highway. This could provide commuters with another route and help reduce pressure on existing roads.
The approved plan envisages completion of the full project within one year after construction begins.
Long-awaited road project moves towards implementation
The foundation stone for 11th Avenue was laid in June 2023, but construction did not begin at that time. The latest two-phase approach puts the E-11-to-Srinagar Highway section first in the project’s implementation priorities.
The development also brings renewed attention to the stalled 10th Avenue project, where work stopped after around half of the construction was completed.
The 10th Avenue project was estimated to cost Rs10.2 billion, but only around Rs4 billion had been released. The project was originally scheduled for completion by December 2024, but a lack of funding delayed further work.
The incomplete section between IJP Road and H-9 has continued to cause inconvenience, while parts of its earthwork and structures have been deteriorating.
As work towards 11th Avenue progresses, the timely release of funds and completion of the necessary tendering process will be important in moving the project from planning into construction.
