RDA rejects proposal to change Ring Road route

Project to be completed in two years, says commissioner

RAWALPINDI: The executive agency of the Ring Road project, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), turned down the recommendations of the public representatives from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding changes in the route of the project in public interest.

During the scrutiny of Ring Road’s route, the consultation firm had identified the presence of some graves of a cemetery and a few houses.

The representatives of the consulting firm Zurich International gave a briefing on land acquisition and route alignment for the project in a meeting held at Punjab House in Rawalpindi on Saturday, the public representatives conveyed the concerns of the people and suggested changes in the proposed route.

However, the Rawalpindi Commissioner Muhammad Mahmood, who is also heading the project management unit (PMU), apprised the members that notification of Section IV had already been issued for land acquisition.

He asserted that any changes in the proposed route were no longer possible. The parliamentarians asked the firm’s representatives various questions regarding the project which they answered.

Two years to completion

Rawalpindi Ring Road Project having the proposed length of 64.3 km would be initiated by this year and the target has been set to complete it within two years. The commissioner said this while briefing parliamentarians in a meeting held here to review the Ring Road and Leh Expressway projects.

The commissioner said the Ring Road Project would enhance economic opportunity for the citizens and also provide farmers with direct access to the market, adding that it would host refreshment centres, workshops and parking facilities.

Likewise, site allocation for residential schemes would help to control the urban sprawl and also provide better opportunities for affordable housing, he said. He said travel time from Tarnol to Rawat for cars was estimated to be an hour and 14 minutes while more than two hours for trucks with an average speed of 50 km while truck terminal would help ease traffic congestion by reducing overlapping mixed transportation, he added.

The proposed alignment generally avoids urban populations and settlements as it navigates on the outskirts of twin cities, he said. Provincial Minister (Revenue) Malik Muhammad Anwar said Rawalpindi Ring Road Project would be a mega project for our government and all public representatives whose constituency was being touched in this project would provide full assistance for the purpose.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan said this project would not only solve the issue of traffic congestion of twin cities but it would be a new face for Rawalpindi city as a whole. No undue delay in this project would be tolerated as it was the dire need of people of Rawalpindi, he said adding that once completed this project would bring relief for the general public.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Aviation Sarwar Khan, Provincial Minister (Revenue) Malik Muhammad Anwar, Members Provincial Assembly Chaudry Adnan, Wasiq Qayyum, Haji Gulzar and Javaid Kouser, RDA Chairman Tariq Mutaza, Rawalpindi DC Anwar ul Haq, Director Development Nazia Sudhan, RDA Director General Ammara Khan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Shoaib Ali, Assistant Commissioner (Saddar) Zahid Khan, Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Syed Sibteen Kazmi, ZEERAK Chief Executive Officer Inam Minhas and other concerned government officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2020.