Old buildings at risk in Rawalpindi

City authorities fear these over-age structures might crumble following rains

RAWALPINDI: Crumbling structures of over a century old buildings are at risk of crashing down following torrential rains endangering the lives and properties of people bent upon living and working in these buildings which had been marked for demolition decades ago.

After a prolonged wet spell in the garrison city over the past week, the Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC), Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and Chaklala Cantonment Board have issued red notices to the residents of some 350 buildings in the old city area that were built over a century ago during the British Raj. The residents have been directed to evacuate these old, dilapidated structures as ongoing rain spell posed a serious threat to them.

The owners have further been instructed to either construct these buildings all over again or get them repaired immediately to avoid any mishap.

The violation of orders would lead to a strict action, the notices warned. A survey revealed that these multi-storied buildings declared dangerous for the dwellers were located in Raja Bazaar, Kalaan Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Bhabra Bazaar, Bagh Sardaran, Dingi Khoi, Ratta Amral, Purana Qila, Murree Road and in both the cantonment areas.

Commissioner approves new parking plazas

The district administration has formally approved a project related to the construction of six new parking plazas in the main markets of Rawalpindi to culminate parking problems and expediting trading activities.

In this regard, the Rawalpindi Commissioner Muhammad Mahmood chaired a meeting at his office relating traffic problems on Saturday.

These plazas would be built on Kutcheri Chowk, Fawwara Chowk, Jinnah City, Saddar Road, Ghazni Market, Commercial Market, and Bani Market, the participants were told. Meanwhile, the administration has further decided to utilise GTS bus stand in Saddar as a parking lot on an immediate basis to mitigate parking issues there.

Commissioner hoped that the construction of plazas would end existing parking problems apart from speeding up trading activities in the markets.

Mahmood also directed the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) chairman to provide details of the construction of two additional blocks in Fawwara Chowk parking plaza where the City Traffic Officer (CTO) was instructed to submit a report on the traffic situation in bazaars where the plazas would be constructed.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2020.