Construction activity gathers pace in Rawalpindi

Work on govt, private sector projects resume

RAWALPINDI: Construction activities have started to pick up in the garrison city after the sector was granted an exemption granted by the government.

Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) has started work on its development schemes in seven tehsil councils. These projects are being funded by money from MNAs and MPAs, officials said.

In this regards, the RMC has issued tenders for as many as 360 new development schemes, while work orders have also been issued for some of these projects, they said.

In the ongoing week, construction work on three schools and a college in Rawalpindi started, an official said.

Meanwhile, construction work has also started in the private sector. During the past three days, sales of bricks, sand, gravel and iron - the basic building blocks for any structure - have increased by at least a 100 per cent in the district, a trader who deals in construction material said.

Operations of the construction industry have been completely restored, he said, with people resuming construction of their houses, plazas, shops and other structures along with the construction of various streets and roads.

According to an official of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), real estate developers have submitted over 210 maps of various buildings for approval during the past few days.

These people are seeking the no-objection certificates from the authority to secure construction permits for houses, shops, plazas and small markets. The plans are likely to be approved starting next week, the official said.

Meanwhile, other shops related to the construction industry including paint, plumbing, electronics and electrical appliances are still closed.

According to sources, all the small and big shops connected with the industry including these shops will be opened in the second phase as per the new SOP.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2020.