PHOTO: FILE
RAWALPINDI: The garrison city could get as many as 11 new educational institutions, including universities and colleges in 2020.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Punjab Education Ministry have approved a project under which four new universities and seven new colleges will be constructed in Rawalpindi.
With the addition of these universities, the total number of varsities in Rawalpindi district will jump to seven.
It is expected that the foundation for an information technology (IT) university in Rawalpindi will be laid in March.
The other universities expected to be set up in the city include the Railway University —land for which is expected to be provided by the Railways Ministry.
Work on preparing the project concept (PC) – I of both institutions has started.
Moreover, the government has already issued a notification for the establishment of the Kohsar University in Kohsar area of the city while Rs500 million have been allocated for the institution.
A new Potohar University is also slated to be built in the region. Land for the project has been identified in the neighbouring Gujjar Khan district. It is expected that a notification for the establishment of this varsity will be issued by April.
Moreover, the first Girls Degree College (GDC) within the premises of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) will be constructed in Rahimabad area of the city. To be built after six decades, land measuring three-kanals has been earmarked for the institution.
Another GDC is expected to be built in the Dhoke Dala area of the city on land measuring five kanals. Both projects are expected to cost around Rs70 million each.
Construction of four more degree colleges has also been approved. These colleges will be built in Adhwal, Dhamiyal, and Dhoke Syedan.
The construction of a Girls Postgraduate College in Saddar is expected to be completed in May and academic sessions there are expected to commence from August.
Soon after assuming charge, former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif had halted the work on this college. However, the incumbent government restarted the process and the institution is now in its final phase of completion.
The two-storey college building will cover a land area of nine-kanals which was provided by Pakistan Railways.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2020.
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