ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: The construction work on the United States embassy complex, covering an area of 173,421,2 square feet, will finally start in next two months after the Capital Development Authority (CDA) approved new building plan on Wednesday, Dawn has learnt.

The plan is aimed at expanding the existing US Embassy building in Diplomatic Enclave.

Talking to Dawn, a senior official of the authority said: “Some 11 building consultant engineers and officials of the US embassy gave a detailed presentation to the Member Planning of the Capital Development Authority, Tahir Shamshad and also submitted the building plan which was approved by the officials concerned.”

The new complex, having a total area of 43 acres including the eight acres of land sold out to the embassy last year, would be completed in six years.

The official said now the controversies associated with the expansion plan should be put to rest as, he said, the approval to the building plan was given after the US embassy fulfilled all the rules and regulations of the civic agency. “They have the right to establish a building as per the laid down CDA rules and diplomatic engagements between the two countries,” he noted.

The US embassy, he said, was allowed to construct ground plus seven storey building. The official asserted the CDA was sorting out all construction issues with the US embassy in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The director general of the building control section Malik Murtaza, however, added: “The existing embassy building will be demolished in two phases and the new complex will be constructed in a similar manner.”

He said the visa section would shift to its new building in 2014 after that the existing section would be demolished.   In the second phase, the residential and sports areas would be developed.

Commenting over the new building structure of the US embassy, he said: “We will monitor the construction, and engineering point of view, the new building will definitely be a masterpiece since it will be constructed by American contractors.”

He said the US embassy had cleared all dues like water charges, conservancy charges and other utility bills of the existing building.

Mr Murtaza said: “The new complex of the US embassy building will be energy efficient, catering for green architecture as well as for the rain water harvesting, sewage treatment plant and recycling of treated water.”

The US embassy’s deputy spokesman Mr Robert could not be approached on his mobile phone for a comment over the current development.