Jinnah Avenue underpass to be open to traffic by month-end: CDA

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday said it was all set to complete the Jinnah Avenue underpass, which was going to be open to traffic during the last week of this month, while the Serena underpass project may face a slight delay.

A press release issued by the CDA said the underpass would be completed in 42 days. Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the Serena interchange project and directed the CDA and contractor to ensure the completion of this project within 60 days.

The 60-day Serena interchange project deadline would be completed by January 5. An official in the CDA said that the work was continued at full pace, but due to unexpected hard rock during the piling process, it may face a slight delay.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the Serena project site and directed the CDA officials to complete it within 60 days. Sources said that the minister told the CDA officials and the contractor that no excuse would be accepted and he wanted to see the completion of the project within 60 days.

Serena project may face slight delay; minister tells contractor to comply with deadline

Separately, the CDA statement about the F-8 interchange project said that CDA Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa visited the Jinnah Avenue project early Wednesday morning and conducted a detailed review of the project’s progress. The CDA members, consultants, and other relevant officials accompanied him during the visit.

The CDA chairman said that the work on the flyover and the underpass should continue simultaneously, emphasising the need to complete the project within the stipulated time. He directed the consultants and resident engineers to ensure high-quality construction along with the swift completion of the work.

The press release stated that the CDA chief was given a detailed briefing by the officials about the progress of the ongoing construction work. He was informed that the underpass at Jinnah Avenue would be completed in 42 days, with 75 per cent of the construction already completed. Furthermore, he was told that the underpass would be opened to traffic in the last week of December. The chairman expressed satisfaction with the progress as well as the quality of the construction work.

During the briefing, Mr Randhawa was further informed that the construction work on all segments, including a flyover of the project, was progressing swiftly as per the schedule. The work on the girders for the underpass was near completion, and the concrete work for the underpass bed would soon be finalised.

Additionally, it was reported that 70 out of the 74 piles for the Jinnah Avenue interchange had already been completed. The foundation stone of the said project worth Rs4.1 billion was laid by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with the Serena interchange project worth Rs4.2 billion, on November 5. Speaking on the occasion, the PM and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had directed the CDA to complete the Jinnah Avenue Project within 100 days.

In line with these directives, the project is supposed to be completed by February 15. According to the CDA, the underpass will be completed soon and it will be opened to traffic during the last week of this month, while the flyover will also be completed within the deadline of 100 days.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024