ISLAMABAD: After remaining stalled for nearly four decades, development work in Islamabad’s Sector E-12 has crossed the 60 per cent mark following the recovery of 1,135 kanals of government land, but the completion of roads and infrastructure remains central to making the long-delayed residential sector fully functional. Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf reviewed the progress of development work in the sector on Monday and directed officials to expedite the remaining work. According to the authority, earthwork in sub-sector E-12/4 has been completed, while construction of road base, sub-base and drainage infrastructure is under way. Earthwork on the service road along Khayaban-i-Iqbal and the southern and eastern service roads has also been completed. In E-12/3, triple surface treatment (TST) has been completed in 15 streets, while work on earthwork and road bases continues in the remaining streets. Similarly, 25 streets each in E-12/2 and E-12/1 have received TST treatment, with development work continuing in the remaining streets. The CDA attributed the renewed pace of construction to the recovery of 1,135 kanals of government land, which had remained unavailable for development for around four decades. Sohail Ashraf said the authority was removing hurdles to the development of new sectors in accordance with the law and that encroachment on government land would not be tolerated. He directed officials to utilise available resources to complete the outstanding work, saying the development of new residential sectors was among the authority’s priorities amid Islamabad’s growing population. However, the reported 60 per cent progress raises questions about the timeline for completing the remaining infrastructure and making the sector fully accessible to prospective residents. The authority did not provide a revised completion deadline or details of the expenditure incurred during the visit. In a separate visit, the CDA chairman reviewed renovation work at F-6 Markaz, also known as Supermarket. The improvement plan includes repairing damaged footpaths, installing permanent streetlights, improving parking areas and undertaking landscaping and tree plantation. Officials said parking areas were being repaired and paved with tuff tiles, while benches and dustbins were being installed. Sanitation staff had also been deployed in different shifts to improve cleanliness. APP
