While the commuters travelling in all directions through the under-construction Zero Point Inter-Change were already confronting serious problems because of its delayed completion, now one major link, the G-8/H-8 under pass on the Kashmir Highway is being closed for all kind of traffic for 10 days from today (Sunday).
“The underpass on Kashmir Highway connecting Sectors G-8 and H-8 will be closed for construction of underpass approach roads and other ancillary works for ten days (February 20 to March 2),” Capital Development Authority (CDA) spokesman said.
The closure of this important link and that too for such a long period, is bound to cause serious problems to the commuters, especially the students studying in a number of major private sector schools as well as the Federal Government College for Men, the Allama Iqbal Open University those attending different offices all located in Sector H-8.
He said that a diversion of traffic plan has been prepared according to which all traffic coming from Sector G-8 and heading for Sector H-8 will continue to move on Sector G-8 Service Road to reach Peshawar Mor, take the left turn to reach the Kashmir Highway – 9th Avenue intersection from where they can head in different directions according to their destinations.
He said, “For the sake of public convenience, the previously closed approach link from Kashmir Highway to the Sufi Tabassum Road (H-8 Service Road West ) intersecting at Kashmir Highway (near Peshawar Mor) has been opened for traffic.” For those moving from sectors H-8, I-8 towards the sectors north of Kashmir Highway, they can choose to travel through the Islamabad Highway from the Garden Avenue intersection or can take the 9th Avenue as alternate routes for the purpose.
The CDA had been extending the completion date for the project, which was scheduled to be completed by September 2, 2010. Earlier, it was extended by a month, mainly because of the heavy monsoon rains last year. Later, the project continued to hit one stumbling block after the other and the completion dates continued to be extended from time to time.
In a desperate attempt to complete the project and throw open the main bridge on Kashmir Highway for traffic, the CDA agreed to abandon the southern Islamabad Highway-Kashmir Highway loop skirting along the Shakarparian hillock under the shadows of the Quaid-e-Azam Monument.
However, even this major change could not help complete the remaining part of the project. The northern bridge on the Kashmir Highway is yet to be opened, the Islamabad Highway passing under the bridge is yet to be paved, the northern bridge on the Islamabad Highway, just short of Zero Point while coming from Faisal Mosque direction is still not opened and now this G-8/H-8 link has been closed for all kind of traffic from tomorrow.
The sources in the CDA said that the new expected date of completion of the project is March 15, 2011. However, they were somewhat sceptical at the same time even if that deadline could be met or not keeping in view the pace of work on the project for the past many months.
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