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Kashmir Chowk underpass opens after just 27 daysPakistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the Kashmir Chowk underpass in Islamabad, praising Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi for finishing it in 27 days.
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Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister said he had never witnessed a mega-project completed at such speed during his entire political career. He said the underpass, its connecting roads and extensive landscaping, including the planting of trees and flowers, had been completed in just 27 days.
Sharif said another significant feature of the project was that its contract had been awarded through a transparent process using the electronic Public Procurement system, known as e-PAD. He said the project had also been completed at a cost lower than the initial estimate.
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The prime minister said the project was not just a 500-metre underpass, but also a network of roads spanning four kilometres around it. The work is expected to ease traffic flow at one of the capital’s busiest junctions and improve the journey for thousands of commuters every day.
Sharif said more development projects were being planned ahead of next year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, which Pakistan is preparing to host. He asked Mohsin Naqvi to further beautify Islamabad with flowers and greenery.
Mr Mohsin Naqvi, please adorn Islamabad with flowers; the fragrance of these blooms will delight both the residents of Islamabad and the visiting guests, the prime minister said at the ceremony.
Naqvi said the government would also seek help from international experts to establish a Safari Park in the city. He added that One Constitution Avenue would be turned into a five-star hotel very soon.
The speedy completion of the underpass has drawn attention as a rare example of a public project finishing ahead of the usual pace. Officials say the use of electronic procurement and close monitoring helped keep the work on schedule and within budget.
For daily commuters, the value of the project lies in the roads around the underpass as much as in the structure itself. Four kilometres of connecting roads were rebuilt and landscaped as part of the work, which officials say should cut waiting times at the junction and make the flow of traffic smoother in both directions.
The project also fits into a wider effort to prepare the capital for next year’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The prime minister linked the underpass to that programme of works, saying more projects were being planned, and he pressed for the city to be made greener and more attractive for residents and visiting delegations alike.
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