The development body of Rawalpindi on Thursday said that it had approved a plan to build as many as 10 economic zones along the proposed Rawalpindi Ring Road project.
The move is aimed at maximising the economic potential of the new highway which will link Rawalpindi and Islamabad apart from boosting local industry.
This was decided on Thursday during a meeting in Rawalpindi on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Tariq Murtaza.
Members of the Islamabad and Rawalpindi chambers of commerce and industries, RDA officers including Finance Deputy Director Junaid Bhatti, Engineering Deputy Director Azizullah and others were also present in the meeting.
During the meeting, Murtaza said that development work on the economic zones will start as soon as possible.
He further termed the business community the backbone of the country's economy and assured them that concrete steps are being taken to provide facilities to it as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Development work is being done on priority basis by the government to address the issues faced by the business community, he said.
It was further decided in the meeting that additional space is being allotted adjacent to the Ring Road and the airport, apart from the Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Here, industrial, educational, healthcare, hotels, shopping malls, Aerotropolis and residential areas along with RRR to decongest the city and to set a new direction for growth of the city which is a key component of RRR.
The other day, Murtaza had told a delegation from the ICCI that the ring road and associated economic zones will be developed on the ‘Faisalabad’ model.
ICCI members had said that land should be provided to the business community for these zones so that they can invest in it and build models of model industrial zones there. While the traders of Rawalpindi are also in the forefront in paying taxes, so that they should also be given relief, they added.
According to the RDA chairman R3 will not only reduce the traffic congestion in the twin cities, it will also provide a clean, healthy and safe environment besides making significant contributions to national development. He said that business hubs, industrial zones, transport terminals, wholesale markets, logistic and education hubs, health city, dry port, recreational parks and residential estates would be constructed on both sides of the R3 that would uplift the economy of the region and provide plenty of jobs.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 11th, 2020.
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