CDA approves Rs24.5bn 11th Avenue project, 3 sports arenas
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) Development Working Party (DWP) on Thursday approved several new development projects, including the construction of three sports arenas in various sectors and the 11th Avenue project.
The CDA-DWP, which met here, approved a PC-I worth Rs24.5 billion for the construction of 11th Avenue from Margalla Avenue to IJP Road. It also approved PC-Is worth around Rs1 billion for the construction of three sports arenas in F-8, D-12 and G-11.
Once started, the projects will be completed within one year. The arenas will have swimming pools, indoor gyms, futsal courts, cricket cages, padel courts, basketball courts, multi-sports halls, indoor kids’ play areas, etc.
The DWP approved a PC-I for the F-8 Markaz sports arena worth Rs307 million, Rs327 million for D-12/1 and Rs317 million for the proposed G-11/3 arena.
An official said the three projects were essential for Islamabad residents as existing sports facilities were scattered and access to quality indoor sports facilities was limited.
“Under this project, modern sports facilities will be available at one location. These are aimed at providing healthy activity facilities and family recreation. These facilities will also be used for coaching purposes to train youth,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to the PC-I, the 7.5km 11th Avenue road, with three lanes on each side, will be completed within one year. Officials of the engineering wing said around 17 bridges and overpasses were part of the project.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his first stint, had laid the foundation stone of 11th Avenue in June 2023, but the project was not started.
The avenue is supposed to start from IJP Road and, after passing between I-10 and I-11, G-10, G-11, F-10 and F-11, culminate at the E-11 interchange. From E-11 to D-12, a portion of the road has already been completed and is known as Iran Avenue.
After the construction of 9th Avenue decades ago, the CDA could not construct any major road. Work on the construction of 10th Avenue was started in 2022, but after around 50pc of the work was completed, the project was halted last year.
CDA officials told that besides focusing on 11th Avenue, the authority should also complete the stalled 10th Avenue project, as the structure of the incomplete road was deteriorating. They said 10th Avenue was a federally funded project and, due to the non-release of funds, it had been left abandoned.
“The total cost of the 10th Avenue project was Rs10.2 billion, but the government had released only around Rs4 billion, so without funds we could not move forward. That was why the project was halted,” said a CDA engineer.
He said that under the original plan, the project should have been completed by December 2024, but the federal government did not allocate any funds for the public welfare project in its 2024-25 and 2025-26 budgets.
“If the government is paying no heed to 10th Avenue, CDA should take over this project to complete it. From IJP Road to H-9, earthwork for this road has already been completed and, after asphalt work and linking the overpasses and bridges, the CDA could bring at least this portion into use,” said a source.