CDA still hasn't called tenders for construction of five parking plazas.

ISLAMABAD -- The city managers are yet to call tenders for construction of five parking plazas in the capital while final touches are being given to the base work of a plaza in Blue Area. The latter was started in March last year but pace of work on the plaza is slow.

The CDA, last year, had announced that it will construct five new parking plazas in various areas of Islamabad to cope with the growing parking issue. However, this work has not been awarded yet.

CDA Chairman Mohammad Usman has been monitoring progress of the work being carried out on the plaza in Blue Area and on Saturday, after getting briefing on this project, he tweeted: 'Construction of Parking Plaza in Blue Area - preparation of bed for raft concrete after diverting all nullahs.'

Even though, efforts are being made to expedite work on this project, it seems that the project may not be completed in its stipulated time in March this year, as so far, base work is not fully complete.

Blue Area plaza unlikelyto be completed instipulated time dueto slow pace of work

According to CDA, the National Logistics Cell (NLC), after submitting the lowest bid of Rs1,274.5 million had won the contract and was executing the project as per plan. The car parking plaza is being constructed near Savour Foods along Jinnah Avenue.

The plaza will have the capacity to accommodate 1,300 vehicles at a time. Shops will be constructed on the ground floor of the plaza which will also increase revenue for the CDA. Open-air restaurants will be set up on the fifth floor.

Last year, in his first media briefing, the chairman of CDA had announced that five new parking plazas would be constructed to overcome the challenge of shortage of parking space in the city. However, CDA officials said that apparently, due to weak financial position of the CDA, coupled with expenditure of under-construction...