ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government will honour Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by naming one of the newly constructed underpasses at Jinnah Square in the federal capital Islamabad after the Turkish leader.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is eager for the grand unveiling of the interchange to be officiated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday, February 4.
CDA insiders revealed that the Prime Minister’s Office has instructed the CDA to name one of the underpasses in tribute to Erdogan. “Indeed, the PM recently urged the CDA to bestow this honour upon the Turkish leader,” stated a CDA source.
Meanwhile, the CDA is on the verge of wrapping up the ambitious Rs4.2 billion project, which encompasses three underpasses complete with loops—one situated on Khayaban-i-Suhrawardi and two along Srinagar Highway. Essential horticultural and electrical enhancements have also been finalized.
Sources indicated that the CDA is ready for the inauguration on February 4. “The inauguration nameplate is already prepared for February 4; it now hinges on the Prime Minister’s availability,” an official from the CDA noted.
Originally slated for a four-month completion as per its PC-I, the project saw the Prime Minister assign a more accelerated timeline of 60 days to the CDA, which elapsed on January 5. Now, a month later, the project stands ready for its debut.
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CDA sources expressed optimism that this multibillion-rupee initiative would alleviate traffic woes at this busy junction. However, they cautioned that without the construction of an underpass on Murree Road to connect it directly with Srinagar Highway, one of the underpasses on the latter would be rendered ineffective for the multitude of vehicles streaming in from Azad Kashmir and Murree.
Currently, traffic from Murree Road is forced to navigate through Kashmir Chowk, also known as Dhokri Chowk, to access the roundabout.
When reached for comment, CDA’s engineering member, Syed Nafasat Raza, stated that the project, initially designed for a four-month timeline, is set to be completed in an impressive 84 days.
Regarding the 60-day deadline, he clarified, “According to the PC-I, we were tasked with finishing within 120 days, yet we’ve managed to condense that to 84 days. While we endeavoured to meet the PM and interior minister’s 60-day request, we encountered two unavoidable challenges—hard rock and underground water—which slowed us down. Also, we had to expand the scope of work.”
