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Islamabad updates

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F.M Muhammad Ayub Khan then President of Pakistan laid the foundation of the Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad (originally named the University of Islamabad). and renamed it after the Quaid in July 1976, which was the year of his birth centenary.

Foundation stone was laid on: 21 June 1967



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CDA to launch modern bus service to revolutionise public transport in Islamabad

The city managers, who are focusing on road projects, are yet to launch their promised bus service on six busy routes of the capital.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to launch a bus service on six routes - Bhara Kahu to Marghazar Zoo via Dhokri, Aabpara, Polyclinic and F-6, Rawat to Faisal Mosque, Tarnol to Fatima Jinnah (F-9) Park, G.T. Road near Railway Carriage factory to I.J. Principal Road metro station, Nilor Chowk to Koral Chowk and from Lehtrar Chowk to Aabpara.

CDA officials said , it was calculated that around 50 buses and Rs220 million was required as subsidy for the project per year. The officials said it was decided that a significant portion of the total cost would be covered by advertisements at over 140 bus stops on the six routes.

At that time, it was also decided that buses will run on existing roads, but there will be a separate lane for them at all intersections.
 
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CDA’s plot auction receives impressive response from investors

ISLAMABAD: Capital Development Authority (CDA), on the opening day of a two-day auction, received an overwhelming response from investors as it auctioned 13 commercial plots worth over Rs20 billion on Wednesday.

The CDA has put 29 plots on sale at the auction; on the first day, all 13 plots were successfully auctioned at Jinnah Convention Centre.

The authority in its annual budget for the ongoing fiscal year 2021-22 had estimated a Rs20 billion receipt from this two-day auction but it achieved this target on the first day.

“The response of the investors remained very good as on the opening day we achieved our targets. CDA is thankful to people who had invested with us and reposed their trust. Our every auction sets a new record,” said CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed.

Civic body fetches over Rs20bn on first day
Speaking to Dawn, he said the funds generated from this auction would be spent on welfare projects.

“Our residential sector I-12 has been stalled since long. I have directed the finance wing to deposit a major portion of amount from this auction in a separate account for development of I-12 sector to add thousands of new housing units for the city,” he said, adding that a green fund would also be established to protect green areas, and tree covers and funds would be spent for improving water infrastructure of Islamabad.

According to details, four commercial plots in I-8, two plots in G-10 Markaz, a plot in F-11 Markaz, two in I-12 Markaz and four plots of Blue Area were auctioned on the first day. Commercial plots, which are being auctioned, include commercial/shopping centre plots and plots for hospitals, petrol pumps, hotels, apartments and shopping centres.

CDA officials said until 2019, the civic body used to fetch less than Rs10 billion in auctions, however, in 2019, it earned Rs11 billion followed by the record auction of last year, in which plots worth Rs27 billion were auctioned.

“Last year, we auctioned plots worth Rs27 billion in three days. And on the opening day of this two-day auction, response of investors was overwhelming so hopefully we will set a new record on Thursday,” said an official of CDA, adding that four costly plots of Blue Area and two in D-12 are also amongst the remaining plots, which will be auctioned on Thursday (today).

Another official said besides other factors, prime minister’s package for the construction industry and civic agency’s new polices including a 10pc discount on full payment and streamlining of approval of building plans also played a role in attracting investors.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2021
 
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PM Imran agrees to proposed LG law for Islamabad

Kashif Abbasi
August 17, 2021

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday agreed, in principle, to the proposed Local Government Act under which the mayor of Islamabad would be elected directly.

Under the new local government system, the number of union councils will also be increased from the existing 50 to 100. The prime minister reviewed and approved the draft Local Government Act at a meeting, sources said.

The meeting was attended by all the three MNAs from Islamabad - Planning Minister Asad Umar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on CDA Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan and Raja Khurram Nawaz - and CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed.

The sources said the Act would be presented before the federal cabinet on Tuesday (today). According to the sources, the prime minister said local government elections should be held in Islamabad as soon as possible.

The elections will be held on a party basis, they added.

The last local government elections were held in Islamabad in Nov 2015 on the direction of the Supreme Court after the federal government at that time adopted delaying tactics.

Says local govt elections in capital should be held as soon as possible
Following the local government elections, the mayor and deputy mayors belonging to the PML-N were elected in March 2016. However, the PML-N-dominated local government could not deliver as it was not given due attention by the federal government. Later, when the PTI came into power, it too did not release any fund to the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI). The local government completed its five-year tenure in February this year without carrying out any development activity.

Even the elected representatives were not paid their honorarium.

However, the sources said, Prime Minister Khan directed that under the new system the local government should be given maximum powers to resolve issues of the public.

During the meeting, the PM also stressed the need for a uniform system to regulate buildings in the federal capital. He directed the CDA to use modern technologies such as drone cameras to keep a check on encroachments.

The prime minister also directed for more tree plantations in Islamabad.

The sources said the CDA chairman briefed the prime minister about the recently-conducted anti-encroachment operations and issues related to E-11. This sector saw urban flooding recently in which a woman and her child lost their life.

The prime minister was told that in 1968 the then president Gen Ayub Khan had exempted E-11 from land acquisition that left the sector unattended as the civic agency never imposed its bylaws there.

The prime minister was told that the revocation of Ayub Khan’s order was imperative so that the CDA could enforce its bylaws in the sector to control mushroom growth of unregulated buildings and provide civic facilities to the residents.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2021
 
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Federal IT Minister Laid the Cornerstone for a New IT Park in Islamabad

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During the ceremony, the federal IT minister told that once completed, the IT park will provide employment to about 15,000 people. In addition to that, the minister told that millions of dollars will be provided to the country in terms of revenue.

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He also mentioned that this is an important step in fulfilling the Prime Minister’s Digital Pakistan Vision. The State-of-the-art IT Park is being built on 15 acres in Chak Shehzad. According to the minister, South Korea will provide the soft loan for a 12-story IT park
 
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1,200 more cameras to be installed in Islamabad under Safe City project


As many as 1200 additional cameras would be installed in Islamabad under safe city project to ensure effective security, prevent crime and effectively maintain law and order.

A source in the Central Police Office (CPO) said that requisition has been approved by the Interior Ministry to install 1200 additional cameras in Islamabad.


He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has also directed to install cameras throughout Islamabad and 1200 cameras would be given to safe city project soon.
 
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The Capital Development Authority Development Working Party (CDADWP) approved Rs873 million grant for the Islamabad Bus Service by end of February, next year.

The Islamabad Bus Service project would be executed with the involvement of the private sector and it is aimed at operating comfortable buses on different routes.

Initially, the bus service would be operated on three routes at zero subsidy. The routes include Sohan Garden to Faisal Mosque, Bhara Kahu to Aabpara to Faiz Ahmed Faiz Metro Station and Tarnol Railways station to N-5 metro station

The meeting also okayed a project costing Rs689 million to provide the latest machinery to the Sanitation Directorate to improve cleanliness system with less dependence on manpower.


Another project costing Rs401 million is aimed at enhancing the capacity of the Machinery Pool Organization (MPO) was also approved. The CDA will also construct 115 public toilets with a cost of Rs40 million whereas the authority also needed to pay attention to maintenance of already existing toilets at different locations.
 
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Metro bus service from Peshawar Mor to IIA to start from January

Ikram Junaidi
October 3, 2021


CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed told Dawn that the civic agency also planned to construct a bus depot worth Rs800 million at Peshawar Mor where buses the CDA plans to run on different routes in future would be parked. — White Star/File


CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed told Dawn that the civic agency also planned to construct a bus depot worth Rs800 million at Peshawar Mor where buses the CDA plans to run on different routes in future would be parked. — White Star/File



ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to start Peshawar Mor to Islamabad International Airport (IIA) metro bus service from January 2022 for which 45 buses will be procured.

CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed told Dawn that the civic agency also planned to construct a bus depot worth Rs800 million at Peshawar Mor where buses the CDA plans to run on different routes in future would be parked, he added.

“The idea to use one depot for all buses is aimed at avoiding investing again and again on different depots,” he said.

Besides establishing a traffic control room, a smart traffic management system will be introduced to check violations of traffic rules and even overloading by local transports.

He said a few months ago, the National Highway Authority (NHSA) had handed over the Peshawar Mor to the IIA metro bus project to the civic agency.


CDA chairman orders procurement of 45 buses
“We have approved a PC-1 and started the process to procure 45 buses which will be run on the route. As tenders will open on Oct 15, we hope that we will receive the buses by January and the service will be started the same month,” he said.

Replying to a question, Mr Ahmed said the depot, control room and smart traffic system will be established with prefabricated material which will save time and make them operational within six months.

According to a statement, the CDA chairman chaired a meeting which was attended by CDA officers and consultants of the project.

The meeting reviewed progress on the metro bus project from Peshawar Mor to the IIA.

It was observed during the meeting that there were some missing facilities in the project.

Therefore, a separate PC-1 was prepared in consultation with experts to include required facilities such as intelligent transportation system, including automated fare collection, security surveillance, bus scheduling, vehicular location and command and control systems.

The consultants briefed the meeting about the facilities to be provided to the commuters at each bus station to facilitate them which include walk-through gates, security cameras, wifi, real time passenger information display and public announcement system.

A detailed layout plan of the bus depot was also presented in the meeting.

The bus depot contained separate areas for maintenance workshop, service area, resting area for drivers, admin block, parking bays, command and control centre and offices.

It was decided that the bus depot will not only cater to the requirements of the metro bus service but will also fulfil similar needs of the Islamabad bus service project. One depot will provide a consolidated and comprehensive cost effective solution.

This will bring savings to the exchequer also.

A daycare centre for female staff’s children, small barrack for guards providing security to the facility and provision of special ramps, rails and separate rest rooms for differently abled persons were added to the facility and the layout plan was approved in principle in the meeting.

The CDA chairman directed the project director and consultants of the project to ensure that procurement of buses is completed within four months in order to extend this facility to the citizens in the shortest possible time.

Instructions were also issued to the participants of the meeting to procure pre-engineered structures and steel frames so that the depot and control room are completed in six months.

Tenders for procurement of buses have already been floated and now the tenders for construction of the depot and the systems will also be floated to meet the timelines.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2021
 
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CDA awards contract of Islamabad’s 10th Avenue to NLC

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Monday (November 29) awarded the contract to the National Logistics Cell (NLC) for the construction of 10th Avenue, according to news sources.
According to a CDA official, the contract will be awarded to NLC after codal formalities were completed. The CDA conducted a competition between Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) and NLC, with the latter winning the contract for submitting the lowest bid of PKR 10.2 billion.

While sharing the details, the CDA official disclosed that the 10th Avenue will be developed in two phases. In the first phase, a five-kilometre road will be constructed from I.J. Principal Road/Katarian Bridge to Srinagar Highway – near the edge of G-9 and starting point of G-10. The construction work is expected to be completed in 21 months.

The second phase will be constructed from Srinagar Highway to Margalla Road
 
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