DC House to be used for public interest projects

RDA to give a briefing on the construction of multi-storey structures in Pindi

RAWALPINDI: As part of his move to open all large state-owned buildings to the public, Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed that the sprawling Governor annexes and the Deputy Commissioner House in Rawalpindi should be vacated and turned into either a modern university or use it for a national project.

The two properties are both located close to each other on Marir Hassan Road and the premier has sought reports on what these spaces can be used for.

Fatima Jinnah Women University vice-chancellor has suggested that the Deputy Commissioner house should be handed over to the varsity so that they can set up a campus there and has written to the prime minister in that regard. The premier had subsequently sought the opinion of the Rawalpindi authority and his party.



While stopping short of a definitive decision on the use of the buildings, Imran has sought a detailed report on the total land occupied by the two buildings, how much of the area supports a built-up structure and how much is open.

Briefing on RDA projects sought

The prime minister has sought a briefing over various projects being built in the city including a tower in front of the iconic Liaquat Bagh Sports Complex and five commercial parking centres.

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Arif Abbasi told Daily Express that they will probably brief Prime Minister Imran Khan on the RDA tower and the parking centres in the first 10 days of December, adding that they have started preparing material for the briefing.

Abbasi added that he had met with the premier on Thursday along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq.

During the meeting, Imran called for a briefing on the projects.

The RDA chairman lamented that while every city had some sort of symbol which became an extension of the city’s identity, like the Faisal Mosque, parliament building and even the Supreme Court buildings in Islamabad, the Minar-e-Pakistan and Badshahi Mosque in Lahore and the Quaid’s mausoleum in Karachi, Rawalpindi did not have any such symbol.

We have prepared a project to build extensive premises to house the offices of the RDA, the RDA Tower. The multi-storey building will cover an area of 13 Kanals and will be built in front of the mini-sports complex.



Apart from housing the offices of the RDA, the building will also have space which will be leased out to banks, ATM machines, Pakistan Railways to set up their booking office, airlines to set up their ticketing offices, fast food restaurants, stores selling garments, shoes and other items and even a hotel.

The tower will be extraordinarily adorned from outside and inside and would have elevators and lifts.

The tower, Abbasi hoped, will be completed within two years.

Apart from the RDA tower, multi-storey parking centres will be built in areas of the city which see heavy traffic and are close to major markets such as Raja Bazar, Bara Bazar, Saidpur Road, Commercial Market and College Road.

These projects will be built through cooperation from the private sector. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2018.