26 firms vying for Ring Road feasibility contract

Bids to be reviewed by high-level meeting in Lahore today

RAWALPINDI: After a delay of over 15 years, the pre-qualification process for the Ring Road project in Rawalpindi has finally begun. As many as 26 firms have obtained tender documents to devise feasibility for the project, a contract worth Rs.90 million.

A meeting on reviewing the bids to make the feasibility of the project is expected to be held in Lahore today which is expected to be chaired by the Project and Development Department (PND) chairman.

The firms, which have submitted bids, will be asked about financial and technical details of the project while the company which wins the contract will be asked to create a detailed design of the project, geometric and structural design and the resettlement plan for those affected by the project.

The process for acquiring land for the project will start once the consultant firm submits its report to the executing authority of the project – the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) — and will be acquired per the alignment determined in the report.

The ring road will help alleviate congestion in the central areas of Rawalpindi apart from reducing the travel time between the twin cities, especially for heavy vehicles.

Furthermore, main business hubs, markets and industries of the city will be shifted to areas along the Ring Road, paving way for new business activities.

Some Rs6 billion have been allocated for acquiring land for the project. Moreover, of the Rs90.975 million allocated for devising the feasibility of the project, Rs5 million have been set aside for the establishment of the project management unit.

Thus far, a survey conducted to determine the exact route along which the 38.8-kilometre-long Ring Road has been conducted with the alignment of the road from the Channi Sher Alam Bridge on GT Road and end at the Thalian interchange on the M-2 motorway between Rawalpindi and Lahore near the Islamabad International Airport along with 12-km-long link roads from Rawat and Tarnol. Four intersections will also be constructed.

The Chinese Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has already expressed its desire to give a loan worth Rs47 billion for the construction of the ring road.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2019.