RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has decided to abandon the Rs110 billion Leh Expressway and Flood Channel for a low-cost project which envisages service roads on both sides of the nullah from Murree Road to Karnal Sher Khan Road (formerly I.J. Principal Road) and high concrete walls along its sides to prevent its overflow.

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has started working on the PC-1 for this project, which includes fencing to discourage people from dumping their construction waste and other trash into the watercourse that flows across the city.

RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza told Dawn that the RDA was working on the project to construct service roads and install fencing on both sides of the nullah.

She said the fence would put an end to the dumping of construction material and solid waste in the nullah and the service road would provide alternate routes to the commuters between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. She said that under the new plan, the authority would plant trees to counter the foul smell and prevent erosion of the banks. She said “green banks” would also save the city from pollution.

PC-1 for ‘low-cost’ project in the works; fencing, service roads along Leh Nullah planned

In 2021, the PC-I for the land acquisition and structural compensation under the Leh Expressway project was approved by the ECNEC on December 22 and administrative approval was given on January 19, 2022.

However, the project could not be started by the PTI. After the PTI, the Pakistan Democratic Movement in the Centre or the caretaker set-up in Punjab made no efforts to start the project. Without any release of funds, the project only existed on paper.

Now the PML-N government led by Maryam Nawaz wants to change its layout touting a “better solution” to prevent flood-like situation along Leh and build alternative roads from Rawalpindi to Islamabad at a lesser cost. A senior official of the Punjab Planning and Development Board told Dawn the provincial government wanted a “better project” to control flooding in the city and provide alternate routes as it did not have Rs110 billion to spend on this project.

Originally, the project started in 2006 and then-military dictator Pervez Musharraf launched the project, which was the brainchild of Rawalpindi MNA and then-railway minister Sheikh Rashid. At the time, its cost was Rs20 billion and two-way roads had to be constructed along Leh Nullah along with concrete walls to save the city from flooding. In 2008, the PML-N government formed in Punjab and stopped the work on this project.

However, in 2019, after the formation of the PTI government, the work on the project resumed. But, in spite of three plans from 2019 to March 2022, the work did not start. In the latest plan, the RDA wanted to construct a “cemented nullah and trunk sewer” and construct 17km road on both sides of the nullah from Kattarian Bridge on I.J. Principal Road to Soan Bridge on G.T. Road.

According to Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) officials, the total width of the nullah and dual carriageway at New Kattarian is 55 meters while gradually increasing to 80 metres at Soan Bridge near the Lahore High Court.

They said new bridges would not be constructed in the new PC-I and existing bridges would be repaired or modified. They said that there would be no interchange built. However, the government would establish a sewage treatment plant to treat the sewer of Leh Nullah to avoid flooding in the garrison city, they added.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2024