Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, chaired a high-level meeting at the CDA headquarters to review progress on key development projects across the capital. Senior CDA officials, including members of administration, engineering, environment, finance, and planning, along with directors and additional commissioners, participated in the session.
The meeting focused on major projects like the development of Shaheen Chowk, Kashmir Chowk, T-Chowk, and the Faizabad Interchange. Updates were shared regarding plans to convert the CDA Model Nursery into the ‘Gardena Hub’, uplifting the Pak Secretariat, installation of modern streetlights, improvements in solid waste management, and construction of the Islamabad Model Jail. Other initiatives discussed included upgrading police stations, creating a food street and parking plaza in Blue Area, implementing a cashless system in CDA, and developing recreational spaces such as a safari park, theme park, cable cars, ferris wheels, and dancing fountains.
Chairman Randhawa strongly directed that all projects must be completed within their scheduled timelines and emphasized that there should be no compromise on quality or standards. He further instructed that an independent third-party audit would be conducted for these initiatives upon completion.
Officials reported that several projects have been transferred from the Public Works Department (PWD) to CDA but lack sufficient funding for completion. The chairman directed the Member Finance and CEO of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) to conduct comprehensive financial studies on all transferred projects. This includes evaluating the total project costs, funds provided by PWD, and expenditures already made. He also called for detailed reports on the status, quality, and physical progress of each project so that proper strategies and funding mechanisms can be developed in coordination with relevant ministries.
Additional instructions were given to expedite the uplift of the police academy and to complete the Islamabad Model Jail at the earliest. Emphasis was also placed on increasing the number of electric buses, constructing new charging stations, and preparing feasibility studies for introducing electric trams in the city. The chairman directed the swift establishment of an IT Facilitation Center and called for the installation of digital streamers, attractive streetlights, and environment-friendly plantation along all major roads. Upgrading all 279 parks in Islamabad was also highlighted as a priority.
For the Blue Area, the chairman directed for the early activation of the food street and full operationalization of the parking plaza. He indicated his intention to make surprise visits to monitor project pace and quality, ensuring immediate resolution of any issues.
Addressing urban infrastructure, plans are underway to lay sewage pipelines and enhance sewerage systems in Sector I-14 and Bani Gala, while efforts continue to improve water supply across all sectors of Islamabad. The chairman assured that funds raised from recent commercial property auctions will be reinvested in development projects, water supply, and green initiatives to address the needs of Islamabad’s residents.
