RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Friday submitted for approval a traffic management plan to be followed during the execution of the Kutchery Chowk remodeling project worth Rs6.4 billion.

The traffic plan submitted to the divisional commissioner will be implemented in two phases.

A senior official of the RDA told Dawn that in the first phase the contractor will construct slip roads on the land acquired from Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), commissioner office, excise and taxation office and the police lines.

He said after construction, all traffic will be diverted to these slip roads.

“Upon completion of the flyover, traffic from Saddar to Rawat and Marrir Chowk will be diverted to the flyoverand then work on the underpass will be launched,” he said.

He said the project was expected to complete in 18 months while land acquisition and shifting of utilities would take two months. The tentative completion time of the flyover is seven months and that of the underpass nine months.

According to the project, a 2+2-lane flyover will be constructed for Rawat to Saddar-bound traffic, two-lane flyover for Marrir to Rawat traffic, two-lane exit ramp for Rawat to the airport-bound traffic and Rawat to Marrir-bound traffic (at-grade).

Rs1 billion available with RDA for remodelling project worth Rs6.4bn, says official

There will be a 2+2 lane underpass for the airport to Saddar-bound and an underpass for Iftikhar Janjua Road to the airport-bound traffic.

Another official in the district administration told Dawn that the project had been halted due to non-finalisation of the traffic management plan and non-release of 50pc funds. He said Rs1 billion were available with the RDA in the current fiscal year.

Work on the project started in 2020 and its approval was given by the Punjab Development Working Party on March 10, 2020. The consultant, Nespak, was hired in July 7, 2020. However, the new plan was made after removing objections in July 2022.

He said the garrison headquarters had asked the district administration to ensure the allocation of 50pc budget for the project before the start of the project in October 2022.

However, the provincial government allocated Rs1 billion for the project in the current fiscal year. Earlier, he said, the caretaker government froze the accounts but in mid-February it unfroze the development funds for the project along with the Ring Road.

A senior official of the RDA told Dawn that the Rs1 billion fund was sufficient for land acquisition, shifting of services and mobilisation of machinery. He said only four months were left in the current fiscal year and the amount was more than enough for initial work on the project.

He said the provincial government had assured the garrison headquarters that more funds would be allocated for the project in the next fiscal year as it was the main project to manage traffic in the busiest square of the garrison city.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha visited the site of Kutchery Chowk and Leh Expressway and Flood Channel projects and was briefed by RDA officials.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hasan Waqar Cheema, RDA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa, Director Development Nazia Sudhan, and Chief Engineer Dr Habibul Haq Randhawa were also present.

The commissioner was informed that Kutchery Chowk remodeling and Leh expressway will not only help in solving traffic congestion problems but will also check overflowing and flooding in Leh Nullah.

Mr Chattha said due to the delay in the Leh expressway project its cost had escalated from Rs17 billion to Rs60 billion since 2008. He directed the RDA to resolve all the bottlenecks in the execution of the project so that work on ground would be started at the earliest.

Due to dumping of garbage in Leh Nallah, the flow of water is affected which can lead to flash floods during monsoon season. He directed Wasa to hire a private company as soon as possible to ensure that no debris, especially building materials, were dumped in the nullah.

During the visit to Kutchery Chowk, the commissioner directed that a meeting of stakeholders should also be called to finalise the traffic management plan so that work on the project could to be started as soon as possible.

Pubished in Dawn, March 4th, 2023