RAWALPINDI, Sept 4: On the directives of the federal and provincial governments, the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) has prepared four projects to increase Murree’s beauty and attract tourists.

The directives were issued by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on August 29 to improve the hill station’s beauty and provide better facilities to people visiting Murree.

“The prime minister wants to improve Murree and restore its environment while attracting more tourists in the area,” said a senior CDGR official while talking to Dawn.

He said more than seven departments, including the Communication and Works, Forest, Public Health Engineering and Environment departments, would be engaged in the project.

The CDGR, he said, had already prepared the four projects to ensure better facilities for visitors and would also generate money.

He said all these projects would be started on the basis of a private-public venture.

The official said the CDGR had planned the construction of a food park at Jheeka Gali where multi-national food chains would be invited to establish their counters. Only wooden structures would be allowed in the area under the new by-laws for Murree, he said.

“The CDGR will also establish a play land and sports courts, and will construct a facility for rock climbing in the area,” the official said.

At Shawala Musari area, the CDGR would construct a parking place with a capacity of more than 500 cars at a time. It would also start a cable car from Kashmir Point to Shawala.

In addition, the local government planned to restore the old Murree brewery site and construct a heritage and food park on 180 kanals of land owned by the Punjab government.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wants to construct a three-star hotel in the area and for that purpose, CDGR is seeking investors,” the official said.

When contacted, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar said the four projects had been identified for the provision of better facilities to tourists in the hill station.

He said work on the projects would start after the provincial planning commission approved them adding that the projects’ concepts had been sent to the provincial government.

“We will start the projects without felling a single tree. Old trees and plant saplings would be protected in the area,” he said, and added that the forest department had been asked to start plantation in the area.

The DCO said the projects would also generate revenue for the CDGR and the provincial government in addition to the facilities for tourists.

“The estimated cost of these projects will be finalised soon,” he said.