RRFUD to overcome urbanisation challenges

Existing issues in metropolis include poor governance, inequality and lack of technology

LAHORE:

Like other cosmopolitan cities of the world, the city of Lahore faces debilitating challenges of governance, inequality, technology, resources, transportation and environment. To overcome these issues, the Ravi River Front Urban Development (RRFUD) project was seen as a solution since the country’s inception. The previous governments had put the project off, on one pretext or the other as they lacked will to address the ills of a sprawling metropolis.

However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government decided to address the city’s major challenges of overpopulation, urban poverty and environmental damage through the development of a planned new city of the RRF. The RRFUD project, after remaining in doldrums for years, after the incumbent government moved to resolve the city’s existing issues and revive the city’s culture by embracing the needs of change and stepping up to make it an economic powerhouse.

Since Ravi Riverfront project could give new life to the construction industry and economy, Prime Minister Imran Khan had been personally monitoring the project which was entrusted to the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA), with engineer Rashid Aziz as its chairperson.

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The government announced multiple incentives for the construction industry to facilitate investors in smooth flow of capital and huge investments by announcing tax reductions, financing facility and simplifying relevant laws. RUDA Chairperson Rashid Aziz stated that the new city would generate massive economic activity with the boom of construction industry as the real-estate and construction industry, local and foreign, had shown keen interest in developing this city.

Developing a 46-kilometre lake, three barrages, 12 urban centres will create new opportunities for skilled and unskilled labour, engineers, architects and related industries, he added. He further said at least 46 industries were linked with the construction industry. “RRFUD will generate at least 260,000 jobs and Rs250b revenue that can be much more in the future.”