ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is looking to the federal government for an additional grant to complete the first phase of the under-construction 10th Avenue project, where progress has reached only 41% so far.
Initially slated for completion by March 2024, the project has experienced significant delays, primarily due to funding shortages.
According to sources within the CDA, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Interior just days before Eid, where CDA officials expressed concerns over the prolonged delay in the project. They explained that the shortage of funds had severely hampered progress and requested the release of an additional Rs2 billion before the end of the current fiscal year to ensure completion of the first phase—from Karnal Sher Khan Road to Sector H-9.
The total cost of the project stands at Rs10.2 billion, and it was launched in 2022 under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). While its initial deadline was March 2024, it has now been extended twice due to slow development and insufficient financial backing.
For the current fiscal year, the government allocated just Rs400 million to the project. Of this amount, only Rs260 million have been released to date. “Even if the remaining Rs140 million are disbursed, it won’t be sufficient to achieve substantial progress,” a CDA director stated. “We require an additional Rs2 billion this fiscal year to at least complete the first phase.”
He further emphasized that the upcoming federal budget should include the remaining funds needed to complete the full stretch of the project—from Karnal Sher Khan Road all the way to the Srinagar Highway.
Originally initiated during the PTI government’s tenure, the project received an initial allocation of over Rs1 billion. However, in the 2022-23 fiscal year, the funding dropped to just Rs350 million. So far, the total disbursement for the project has amounted to Rs3.6 billion.
Sources also revealed that last year, the contractor—National Logistics Cell (NLC)—had formally communicated with the CDA regarding the slow progress, attributing it to irregular and insufficient funding. In a written letter, the NLC further urged the CDA to implement the price adjustment formula approved by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in 2023.
Last month, then CDA spokesperson Shahid Kiani confirmed to Dawn that the project was awaiting fresh funding from the PSDP. “Maintaining momentum is impossible without consistent funding,” he said, adding that a further Rs8 billion would be required to bring the project to completion.
“We have engaged with the Planning Commission to expedite the allocation of necessary funds, ensuring that work continues without interruptions,” he added.
The scope of the current phase includes the construction of a 5-kilometer road segment stretching from Katarian Bridge on Karnal Sher Khan Road to the Srinagar Highway near the intersection of Sectors G-9 and G-10. In later phases, this road will extend further toward Margalla Road.
The development of 10th Avenue is a vital part of Islamabad’s original master plan, which envisioned the construction of a main avenue between each sector—similar to how 7th Avenue connects Sectors G-6 and G-7, Faisal Avenue links G-7 and G-8, and 9th Avenue runs between G-8 and G-9.
The successful completion of the 10th Avenue project is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and inter-sector connectivity in the capital. However, timely funding remains the key challenge that CDA must overcome to achieve this milestone.
