ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Muhammad Ali Randhawa, chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the progress of ongoing and proposed development projects in Islamabad. The meeting was attended by Member Administration Talat Mahmood, Member Engineering Nifasat Raza, Member Planning Dr. Khalid Hafeez, Director General Procurement and Contracts, senior officers of the authority, and project directors of the concerned schemes. During the briefing, officials presented a detailed update on the construction of electric bus depots and charging stations. It was informed that work on the electric bus depots—spread across two sites—has reached approximately 97 percent completion, with construction at Site-A already finalized. The meeting was also told that all 21 electric bus routes in Islamabad have been made fully operational. The electric bus service has received a strong public response, with a steady increase in daily ridership. On December 31, 2025, alone, more than 102,000 citizens availed the service. Progress on the Margalla Avenue project, which aims to link the avenue with the M-1 Motorway, was also reviewed. In addition, detailed discussions were held on the construction of a Convention, Expo and Exhibition Centre, as well as a luxury hotel project in the federal capital. Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa said that promoting the hospitality sector in Islamabad is a key objective in transforming the capital into a modern city aligned with international standards. He directed that all development projects should feature state-of-the-art designs and emphasized further strengthening the CDA’s architecture and design wings. Reiterating his commitment, the CDA Chairman said that providing efficient transport facilities, developing modern infrastructure, and enhancing the overall aesthetics and functionality of Islamabad remain among the authority’s top priorities. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026