ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority has initiated another road scheme while a far larger and strategically critical project continues to languish without funding, raising concerns over planning priorities and potential infrastructure decay in the capital.

Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi on Tuesday performed the groundbreaking of the Ataturk Avenue expansion, a Rs241 million project aimed at converting a single carriageway into a dual road from Jinnah Avenue to Ayub Chowk. Officials said the scheme is scheduled for completion within two months under strict quality directives.

The move comes as CDA highlights its recent track record of completing multiple road projects from its own resources, including key interchanges, underpasses and flyovers that have improved traffic flow in several sectors of Islamabad.

However, the contrast is stark with the stalled 10th Avenue project, a Rs10.2 billion federally funded initiative that has seen no allocation in the current fiscal year. Work on the project has effectively come to a halt despite partial development already completed on ground.

The project, launched in 2022 and originally slated for completion by March 2024, has only seen earthwork and several overhead bridges constructed between IJP Road and H-9. Officials warn that continued delays could lead to structural deterioration if asphalt and finishing work are not executed soon.

CDA authorities maintain they have repeatedly urged the federal government to release funds, stressing that completion of 10th Avenue is vital for easing congestion and supporting urban expansion. Internally, voices within the authority suggest the project should be completed through CDA resources if federal support remains stalled, calling the current inaction unsustainable.