The federal government has sanctioned a new connection between Margalla Avenue and the M1. Noor-ul-Mengal, chairman of the municipal authority, gave his stamp of approval to the Rs. 5.45 billion project during a recent meeting of the CDA’s Development Working Party (DWP).
The project scope also includes the N5 interchange. The 5-kilometer stretch of road between D-12 and E-11 will soon be connected to Margalla Avenue, which currently runs from G.T. Road to D-12. This part of the site is presently being updated and revised.
To alleviate traffic on Margalla Avenue and other routes, the municipal administration is also planning the construction of the proposed 11th Avenue, which would stretch from E-11 to the Srinagar Highway.
Stop Work on Alexander Road
A senate committee on Wednesday ordered CDA to halt construction of a road from Shah Allah Ditta that passes the Margalla Hills National Park and links the capital with Haripur. This directive came out of a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change.
Rina Saeed Khan, chairwoman of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), informed the committee that the project was started by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The chairwoman later referred to orders by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that forbade construction in protected areas. She claimed CDA is just interested in building the road for profit, not the benefit of residents and tourists.
Sherry Rehman, the Minister of Climate Change, emphasised the importance of establishing a distinct boundary to prevent encroachments. She also revealed that she had contacted government officials in an effort to halt plans to build a road through the national park.
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