RAWALPINDI: Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) has sought Rs614 million from Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) to relocate tubewells, water supply lines and sewerage lines along Leh Nullah for Leh Nullah Expressway and flood channel project.

RDA asked Wasa, cantonment boards of Rawalpindi and Chaklala and Military lands and cantonments to submit the estimates of their structures and land which will come on the way of Leh Expressway and Flood Channel Project.

After getting estimates from civic bodies, the RDA will finalise their estimates and make it part of PC-I for land acquisition for the project.

The Punjab government wanted to start the project on Public Private Partnership basis and in this regard, it had toacquirethelandthe private firm will construct theexpresswayand flood channel.

The Punjab government has forwarded the PC-I toacquirelandfor theLehExpresswayand Flood Channel project worth Rs25 billion to the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) for final approval.

The Punjab Planning and Development Board has already approved the project and work onlandacquisition will start after the PC-I gets clearance from the CDWP.

Wasa Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mehmood told Dawn that we send out estimates to RDA so that provincial government will give funds and we will relocate our services from the project site.

He said that Rs250 million would be spent for the shifting of water supply lines and tubewells while Rs364 million would be spent on the shifting of sewerage system along Leh Nullah.

He said that Wasa had started the survey to identify the new places for the tubewells and water supply system so the adjoining areas will not suffer once the project starts.

He said that the government wanted to acquire land and soon after approval and release of funds, the Wasa would start the work without any delay.

He said that Wasa would try the people would not face any water shortage due to relocation of tube wells and water supply system.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2021