Cash-strapped civic body has given several deadlines - Despite lapse of several deadlines, the cash-strapped Capital Development Authority (CDA) is still finding it hard to complete the under-construction loop at Zero Point interchange which will provide passage to the traffic coming from Faisal Mosque to reach Kashmir Highway or across Islamabad Highway. The said loop will also provide an easy way to the visitors of National Monument to reach their destination without any inconvenience. Currently, those intending to visit the monument have to face many troubles due to the unavailability of any proper way.
Sources in the CDA told Pakistan Today that the authority had not enough funds to complete the construction work within the due time, adding it had decided to complete the work in October 2011, but some senior officials of the civic body had paid their attention towards the other costly projects and ignored the completion of the loop, a part of Zero Point interchange project which had been inaugurated by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani a couple of months ago. They said National Monument was also said to be one of the main hurdles to the construction of the loop, adding it had also led to changes in the design of the interchange and reduction in the size of the loop.
“Every week, I visit the monument, but the only thing which irks me and other visitors as well is that no easy access has been provided by the CDA to reach the monument,” said Fahad Amjad, a visitor. He added that public transport was also not available to reach the monument, adding transporters had their route from Kashmir Highway and if the authority completed the loop, it would also become easy for the people to reach the recreational spot by using public transport.
The sources are of the view that the completion of the construction work on the loop is only possible if the CDA bosses pay heed towards it.
The interchange was scheduled to be completed by September 31, 2010, but the contractor argued that nonpayment of his dues, VVIP movement on Islamabad Highway and hurdles to the construction work due to the monument had caused the delay. “Though the interchange was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilnai in July, the process of compaction and reinforcement of hillock has already taken a couple of months,” he said.