ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has approved the hiring of a consultancy firm – Engineering Consultancy Services Punjab (ECSP) – to merge Margalla Avenue with the Motorway (M-1) by building a 3.4-kilometre patch of road.

It is relevant to note here that out of the 3.4 km road, 1.8 km falls in Rawalpindi while 1.6 km falls in Islamabad and the firm has been hired for the portion of the road falling in the capital. It will carry out detailed designing for the project, its estimation, environmental impact assessment (EIA), prepare bidding documents, and supervise the construction of the road.

Meanwhile, a working paper signed by Member Engineering Syed Munawar Shah stated that recently the CDA had called bids from consultants under a clause which stipulated that only state-owned firms would participate in the bidding process.

The document said that three firms – Nespak; Directorate of Design and Consultancy, E-in-C branch; and Engineering Consultancy Service Punjab (ECSP) – were asked to submit their bids. Only ECSP submitted a financial bid in March 2022 for the entire road, which falls in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Later, the CDA decided that the consultant would be engaged for the Islamabad portion only which is about 1.6km. In April this year, the company submitted a revised proposal for the 1.6km patch, costing Rs78.75 million. The CDA board, which met under the supervision of Chairman Noorul Amin Mengal last week approved the revised cost.

Firm tasked to prepare design, bidding document for 1.6km patch of road

The board directed the engineering wing to get the consultancy work started as soon as possible. A couple of months ago, the CDA board also approved the alignment of the said road. The CDA will construct the road falling in Islamabad’s limit while the concerned department of Rawalpindi will construct the part in the garrison city.

According to a working paper by the member engineering, the maximum benefit from Margalla Avenue could not be achieved until the road was linked to the M-1 motorway.

In the first phase of the project, the avenue was linked to G.T. Road via Sector D-12 and the work in this regard was under completion.

The project comprises a six-lane road facility and will provide an alternate route for commuters travelling to Islamabad from GT Road (N-5) and vice versa.

“Maximum benefits from this avenue could not be achieved without merging it with the national motorways network located at a distance of 3.4km from the confluence of Margalla Avenue and GT road,” read the document.

In 2021, then prime minister Imran Khan directed the CDA to acquire and develop the road that falls within the limit of Islamabad and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) was asked to do the work on the portion that falls within the limits of Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023