Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD:A delegation of Parliamentarians on Friday urged the need for expanding electric bus to new routes across the federal capital.The delegation comprising Tariq Fazal Chudhary, Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, and Anjum Aqeel, said during a meeting with chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa.The chairman stated that the existing routes will be reviewed and the new routes would be added as per the need of residents. He emphasized the importance of regular meetings to address issues faced by the residents of Islamabad.
Randhawa stated that ownership of key initiatives and projects by the Parliamentarians is essential for the city’s development and progress. The Parliamentarians reaffirmed their commitment to support CDA for Islamabad’s development, beautification, and overall betterment.They expressed their full cooperation for CDA’s initiatives and offered their valuable suggestions to resolve city-wide challenges effectively. During the meeting, progress on projects under the Rural Development Package was reviewed.Chairman CDA assured that financial hurdles affecting progress would be resolved urgently. The DG Works CDA was designated as the focal point for expediting work on the ongoing projects.The development of green belts along Islamabad Expressway was also discussed, including proposals for establishing play grounds through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The DG Environment Environment was assigned to oversee issues related to upgradation of existing parks and new parks, green belts, and open spaces.The parliamentarians were briefed on the digital parking system recently launched in Islamabad and plans for its expansion to other commercial centers and markazs.Chairman CDA stated that the revenue generated from digital parking will be spent on the uplift and upgradation of the local area improvements.The Parliamentarians expressed their full support for this initiative.The Chairman updated the delegation on efforts to address sewage issues, including the creation of a dedicated body, Islamabad Water.
It was discussed that the sewage problems in the border areas of Islamabad will be taken up with WASA Rawalpindi.The need of land for new graveyards were also discussed, with plans to identify suitable land.The meeting also discussed the revision of the master plan of Islamabad with emphasis on addressing zoning issues and improving building regulations.The meeting also discussed the issues pertaining to the affectees of Islamabad. The parliamentarians were briefed about the recent legal developments.The delegation was informed that a committee comprising legal and revenue officers has been formed to bring legal reforms without affecting the rights of affectees as per law.The encroachment issue at Lethrar was highlighted. The ICT and CDA’s Enforcement Wing instructed to conduct anti encroachment operations.The governance model for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) was also discussed, focusing on the need for legal and financial reforms to improve efficiency and better service delivery.The meeting concluded with a decision to hold follow-up meetings fortnightly to monitor progress and ensure timely resolution of the issues highlighted in the meeting which are affecting Islamabad residents.
