ZPI project to be completed by March 15, says Imtiaz

ISLAMABAD – The firm, Maqbool Associates, executing work on Rs 4.1 billion mega Zero Point Interchange (ZPI) project, has sought substantial ‘extension of time’ till April 30 from the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

“The request of the contractor is under evaluation and hopefully the authority will grant the extension of time for the completion of project, excluding National Monument side loop,” an official said.

“There is no work left to be done on the site but some nominal final touches and carpeting of some portion of roads.

Bone of contention between civic agency and the contractor is delay in release of funds to the contractor and that’s why the firm (Maqbool Associates) is using delaying tactics to get clear maximum of its outstanding bills from the Authority,” he elaborated.

The outstanding amount of the contractor has been surged to Rs250 million. “Give me the schedule of payments of outstanding dues and I will give you time frame for the completion of project, the contractor has made it clear to the city managers,” sources said.

At first, the city managers had announced August 14 as the inauguration date of the project, however, the ‘go slow’ policy of the contractor engaged in work, owing to delay in payments, has forced the CDA to announce a new date of December 31 for the purpose.
However, the second deadline in this regard had also passed silently and officially after that the city managers avoid to give any new date of completion, however, now the new expected completion date would be April 31 but without monument-side loop.