Govt includes Rawalpindi Ring Road project in PSDP
Work continues on the Northern Loop of the Lahore Ring Road. EXPRESS/PHOTO: IJAZ MAHMOOD
The government has included the Rawalpindi Ring Road project in the public sector development programme (PSDP) after failing to find an investor to build the road under the public-private partnership model.
The project will cost Rs23 billion to the national exchequer. The project has been approved by the pre-Central Development Working Party (CDWP).
Sources said that the CDWP is also expected to give final approval of the Leh Expressway in its meeting scheduled for November 22. The land acquisition for the expressway project has also been started. Prime Minister Imran Khan will lay the foundations of both projects on December 25.
The Punjab government will release Rs6 billion for the land acquisition for the Rawalpindi Ring Road project which is expected to cost Rs23 billion in total.
The Punjab government will construct the Leh Expressway, which had been on the back burner for the last 17 years.
The approval regarding the land acquisition will be given at the upcoming CDWP meeting.
The building department and Rawalpindi Development Authority have started marking the area for the Leh Expressway along the IJP Road which may lead to the demolition of 720 houses.
The 16.5-kilometre-long Leh Expressway will have four interchanges along with several flyovers.
For this purpose, Nullah Leh will be deepened according to the new design which will reduce the land acquisition cost.
The sewerage water will be taken to the treatment plant through big trenches which will mitigate environmental pollution.
Earlier, locals had expressed serious reservations over the new alignment of the Ring Road project, threatening to stage a massive protest on the inauguration day if their apprehensions were not alleviated.
According to inhabitants of four areas, including Mira Mohra, Dhaki Kalan and adjoining areas, the new alignment of the road project will deprive them of commercial and agricultural lands.
They had demanded that the route should be diverted and passed through the barren lands.
Locals including Haji Fazlur Rehman, Haji Pervez, Chaudhry Abid Mehmood, Raja Hanif Kayani, Raja Zahoor Hussain, Raja Nisar, Raja Ilyas Kayani, Raja Irfan Kayani, Raja Shabir Kayani, Raja Ehsanul Haq had announced a collective protest on the project inauguration day if their reservations were not entertained by the authorities concerned.
They had asked the Rawalpindi Division Commissioner and other officials concerned to take notice of the issue, otherwise, they will press ahead with the protest outside the parliament.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2021.