RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Tariq Mehmood Murtaza on Thursday said that the civic body had nothing to do with Rawalpindi Ring Road project as it was handed over to Lahore Ring Road Authority in 2020.

However, he said that RDA was working on Leh Nullah Expressway and Flood Channel Project, adding, Punjab government had allocated Rs30.2 billion for land acquisition for Leh Nullah project in the Annual Development Programme (ADP).

He said to provide an alternative route from Rawalpindi to Murree for tourists and to reach new tourist destinations, a highway will be constructed which will simultaneously pass through four tehsils of Rawalpindi.

Addressing the press conference, he said work on the project would be started soon and it would boost tourism in the region.

A new approval system for private housing societies and building plans has been established: the approval of map, layout plan will be done in 30 days, approval of change of land use in 45 days and approval of housing schemes in 75 days.

He said in the current year more than 1,600 maps of residential and multi-storey buildings were approved, which is a record. In the last three years, income increased to Rs1 billion.

In the last financial year 2020-21, RDA earned revenue of Rs559 million against the target of Rs295 million. He said that the recruitment process is being made through Punjab Public Service Commission as Punjab government has firm belief in merit. “Eleven officials including four sub engineers and one assistant will be appointed very soon,” he said.

He said RDA was taking indiscriminate action against all dynamic schemes since July 2018; 307 legal notices, 91 challans and 112 first information reports (FIRs) have been registered. RDA has sealed offices of 135 schemes and gates of 61 schemes and billboards were demolished.

On the occasion, he said as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to digitise Pakistan, RDA has also started digitisation. The One Window Operation Centre, equipped with modern facilities has been set up in RDA.

“Residential and commercial maps are being received digitally which are being approved in a short period of 30 days. The records of RDA’s State Management Directorate have been digitised while the work of process automation has been started for convenience of the public in the next phase,” he said.

Talking about schemes completed by RDA, he said the two-lane Qadeer Khan Road from Missile Chowk to Falcon Complex (1.75 kms) has been completed under ADP at a cost of Rs223.6 million. Rehabilitation and expansion of the old Airport Road Flying Club to Koral Chowk (3.45 kms) was completed at a cost of Rs443 million. Completed feasibility study of Katcheri Chowk and Defense Chowk was done under an estimated cost of Rs14.5 million.

Talking about ongoing schemes, he said rehabilitation and expansion work is underway from Dry Port Road to Airport Road to Prime Minister’s New Pakistan Housing Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs443.1 million. The estimated cost for construction of bridges for pedestrians on the old Airport Road under ADP is Rs109.9 million and work on the scheme is under process.

Talking about ADP proposed schemes, he said the estimated cost of land acquisition for Leh Nullah is Rs30,250 million, estimated cost for remodelling of Katcheri Chowk is Rs3,630 million and estimated cost for remodelling of Defense Chowk is Rs2,200 million.

The RDA chairman said that Wasa has completed cleanliness of Leh Nullah well before the onset of monsoon season. Record rainfall was recorded in the twin cities and Leh Nullah was raised upto 21 feet at Katarian Bridge and 17 ft at Gawalmandi Bridge but there was no flooding in the city. The work on cleanliness of Leh Nullah was completed in June with the grant of Rs30 million by the Punjab government.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2021