RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Thursday approved the peri-urban structure plan to protect green areas in the tehsils of Gujar Khan and Kallar Syedan.

After approval of the structure plan, it will be sent to Deputy Commissioner Shoaib Ali to discuss it in the District Planning and Design Committee (DPDC) and notify after consultation with stakeholders.

The 61st meeting of the governing body of the RDA was held with Chairman Tariq Mahmood Murtaza in the chair.

“The basic aim of the peri-urban structure plan is to identify the areas in two tehsils of the district to allocate for industry, commercial, housing schemes and educational purposes. It will also put red lines on green areas where no structure will be constructed,” said RDA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa while talking to Dawn.

He said in the first step, RDA had prepared the plan for Gujar Khan and Kallar Syedan and after its approval a plan will be made forTaxila and Kahuta next month.

He said the government had assigned the task to RDA to make the peri-urban structure plan for four tehsils while for the fifth tehsil - Rawalpindi - the local government had hired the same consultant for preparing the plan.

According to the procedure, he said, the DPDC will review the plan for Gujar Khan and Kallar Syedan and will hold a public hearing. After rectifying the objections, the deputy commissioner will notify the areas allocated for industry, commercial, residential and green areas.

He said the RDA governing body held detailed discussions and decided to endorse the consultant’s proposal regarding peri-urban structure plan/side development zone in respect of Gujar Khan and Tehsil Kallar Syedan.

The governing body constituted a committee comprising the chief engineer, director admin and finance and others to give suggestions.

The Planning and Design Committee (DPDC), headed by the deputy commissioner, will take a decision under the Local Government Rules 2020 after a consultative meeting with the stakeholders.

The committee was of the view that if the DPDC needed any input from the consultant, the consultant and the director MP&TE will assist it.

On the other hand, the governing body also directed the land use and planning wing of the RDA to refer the matter regarding implementation of Rule 45 of Punjab Development Authorities Private Housing Scheme Rules 2021 for consultation.

The governing body has directed the consultant to make a presentation on the proposed peri-urban structure plan/side development zone for two tehsils of Taxila and Kahuta in the next meeting.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2022