RAWALPINDI, Oct 20: The City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) on Saturday decided to develop five main roads in the garrison city as model roads.

These roads are Benazir Bhutto Road, Rawal Road, 5th B Road, Saidpur Road and 6th Road. The CDGR tasked the Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), Parks and Horticulture Agency (PHA) and traffic police to improve facilities on these roads and make them a model for other roads in the district.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar issued the notification and asked civic bodies to ensure smooth flow of traffic and road cleanliness.

In a letter to the Rawal Town administrator, Saif Anwar Jappa, the DCO said: “Huge amount has been spent on widening of roads in Rawal Town. However, it is observed that various offices are not putting in the desired efforts to fully realise the project.

Major roads can only provide full impact if the road furniture is regularly maintained in a coherent manner.”

He ordered proper maintenance of greenbelts, removal of wall chalking, painting of medians, strict traffic management regime, installation of standard signage and proper functioning of streetlights.

When contacted, Mr Zafar said the five roads had the capacity of model roads if proper road furniture was provided. The roads would be widened and freed of encroachment, and road dividers, greenery, footpaths and reflective signage would adorn them, he added.

“I have directed some volunteers to adorn the walls along these roads. It (RTMA) will see to the painting of boundary walls of Pir Mehr Ali Shah University of Arid Agriculture, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and Poultry Research Institute,” he said.