Seeking control: RMC, Punjab govt gearing up to clash this week

Two resolutions prepared over bar on issuing tenders, retaining control on Pir Wadhai Bus Stand

RAWALPINDI: It seems as if the garrison city’s local and the provincial governments are set to clash on a number of issues relating to the development and transfer of authorities from the local government.

The Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has already been at odds with the provincial government ever since the Punjab Local Government Department’s chief engineer imposed a ban over a month ago on issuing tenders for development projects in the city, even those projects which were supposed to be financed by the RMC’s own funds.

Now, the RMC is looking to pass a motion against the Punjab chief engineer when the corporation meets this week and openly disregard the ban by releasing tenders for stalled development projects.

The resolution submitted in the council’s secretariat reads that the corporation reserves its constitutional right to follow legal procedure against the ban imposed by the local government department and the chief engineer of the province.

The motion also points out that the corporation has already finalised development schemes worth Rs529.34 million for 46 Union Councils of the city with consensus from the chairman of these union councils.

It further added that the refusal of the local government department and the chief engineer to grant permission to release tenders is adding to the problems faced by residents of these union councils.

“The municipal corporation reserves the right to implement these development schemes since the municipal corporation has generated funds for these schemes on its own. No restriction in this regard will be accepted and tenders for development schemes will be released after the motion is passed.”

Pir Wadhai Bus Stand

The RMC is also set to face-off with the provincial transportation minister who had ordered to transfer the Pir Wadhai General Bus Stand from the municipal corporation to Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

The Punjab transport minister had issued clear directions to transfer control of the bus stand from the municipal corporation to the RTA. But the RMC has dismissed the idea of transferring the general bus stand. Instead, the RMC has decided to pass a resolution against the minister's orders.

In a meeting with district administration on November 30, the provincial transport minister had clearly instructed to shift control of the general bus stand from the municipal corporation to the RTA.

Rawalpindi Mayor Sardar Naseem Khan, after consulting other elected local government representatives, has decided that the bus stand must stay under the control of the municipal corporation. The resolution filed over the matter states that the corporation considers the bus stand, built in 1976, to be an asset which must stay with the corporation under any circumstance.

It further noted that the RMC had dedicated a significant chunk of its annual budget, around Rs66.105 million in the fiscal year 2017-18, while a further Rs44 million were allocated in the ongoing fiscal year 2018-19.

The money was to be used to not only upgrade the bus stand but the RMC has also undertaken extensive anti-encroachment measures around the bus stand, completely ridding it of encroachment.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2018.