Margalla Avenue

The Margalla avenue or Margalla expressway (Urdu: مارگلہ ایکسپریس وے) is a planned highway of 9 kilometers in the suburbs of Margalla Hills. It is an extension of the existing Khayaban-e-Iqbal, which starts from the 4th Avenue (Nur Pur Shahan) and ends at the E11) Golra sectors in southeast Islamabad. The expressway is an alternative to Kashmir Highway and would provide easy access to the tenth and eleventh sectors of Islamabad to N-5 National Highway. It would also connect the seventeenth and eighteenth sectors (phase II) of Isalamambad situated near Sanjani Toll plaza. The expressway would start at the D-12 sector of Islamabad, pass through Shah Allah Ditta village and Margala hills, and touch the N-5 national highway near Sanjani toll plaza.

Margalla Avenue
مارگلہ ایکسپریس وے
Maintained byCapital Development Authority (Islamabad)
Length9 km (6 mi)
North endMain Margalla Road, Islamabad
Major
junctions		D12 Sector Islamabad
South end at Sangjani

History

The project was planned in 2006 during Pervez Musharraf regime as an alternative to Kashmir Highway and future new Islamabad Airport. The project remained pending until it regained importance during Yousaf Raza Gillani govt. due to the new Islamabad International Airport. The project was finally started in 2012 with the cost of Rs. 744 million, with the completion deadline of June 2013.[1] However, the project stalled since the Capital Development Authority (Islamabad) (CDA) could not acquire land for the project for various reasons; for example, a century-old graveyard at Shah Allah Ditta village came on the road, and locals of the village protested against it.[2] In 2014, CDA announced an alternative plane to divert the road from the northern part of Shah Allah Dita instead of its south. Reportedly 40% of the work was completed by 2014. However, the 2.4 K.m. patch passing through Shah Allah Dita graveyard hung in the balance as the village's residence refused to vacate it.[3] However, till 2019 only 51% of the project was completed due to conflicts between contractor and CDA. The contractor pleaded that land clearance was the responsibility of CDA, while CDA maintained the contract was canceled before this due to some technical reasons. The court ruled in favor of the contractor and fined Rs. 170 million to CDA, which was challenged in the Islamabad Highcourt.[4] In January 2020, CDA formed a committee to resolve the out of court settlement of outstanding with the contractor and find some viable solution to restart the project.[5]


Significance of the Project

According to CDA officials, the road would shed load from the existing Kashmir highway. It would connect existing Khayaban-i-Iqbal to Muree Road via Bari Imam.[3] Most importantly, phase II of Islamabad on the west of N-5 National Highway or G.T. road would connect to Islamabad's existing sectors.[2] The highway would also provide alternative access to M1 motorway, Islamabad International Airport, and Rawalpindi Ring Road.[6] In 2015, CDA announced that once Margala Avenue is completed, it would be linked to E75 expressway.[2] In early 2020, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) announced the final shape of Rs. 62 billion Rawalpindi Ring Road project.[6] The project was approved by Chief Minister, Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar in September 2020.[7] The Rawalpindi Ring Road project would end at the Sanjani Toll plaza, and this would provide a direct connection to all parts of Rawalpindi. The road would also connect 60 kilometers Isalamabad Ring Road project.[8][9] CDA announced its tenth avenue project, which would link Kashmir Highway and Margala avenue and all sectors in between. The Rs. 3725 million projects would complete in three years.[10] Another important related project called New blue area spanning 170 Kannals was inaugurated near Sector F-9 Park with Rs. 30 billion by Prime minister Imran Khan in an effort to distribute commercial center between future extensions of Islamabad and existing city.[11][12] Margalla avenue is significant to the project to connect this new commercial center to the western bank phase II of the city, the auction of this started in July, 2020.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Margalla Road to be linked to the GT Road". The News. 23 March 2012.
  2. "CDA plan to link the project to Muree Expressway". The Dawn. 28 August 2015.
  3. "CDA to change Margalla avenue extension plan". The Dawn. 4 February 2014.
  4. "Body formed to resolve dispute with Margalla Avenue project contractor". The Dawn. 22 January 2020.
  5. "Ring Road to be connected to Margalla Road at Sangjani". The Dawn. 5 January 2015.
  6. "Punjab CM gives go-ahead to construction of Rs50bn Pindi Ring Road". The Dawn. 7 Sep 2020.
  7. "Federal capital may get its own ring road project". The Tribune. 15 December 2019.
  8. "Work on Ring Road to start in early 2021". The Tribune. 4 September 2020.
  9. "CDA to execute work on 10th Avenue soon". The News. 13 June 2020.
  10. "PM Imran approves 'New Blue Area' project". The Tribune. 25 February 2020.
  11. "PM Imran launches multibillion Blue Area Commercial project". The News. 2 March 2020.
  12. "Blue Area plots go under the hammer next week". The Tribune. 12 July 2020.
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