Ring road project gets 10 economic zones
The Rawalpindi district administration has approved 10 economic zones along the Rawalpindi Ring Road.
Earlier, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led interim government had excluded economic zones from the 38.8 kilometre-long Rawalpindi Ring Road project after an alteration in the project design.
After the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) assumed power in Punjab, the Rawalpindi administration has again expedited work on the project, which has been stalled after its inauguration on March 19, 2022, by former prime minister Imran Khan.
Earlier, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) officials and representatives of Rawalpindi and Islamabad chambers of commerce and industry held a meeting and agreed to set up economic zones along the ring road.
During the meeting, the RDA agreed to set up various special economic zones along the 38.8 km long Rawalpindi Ring Road, including commercial, educational, recreational, medical and residential zones.
It was agreed that commercial centres, manufacturing areas, transport terminals, wholesale markets, amusement parks and residential properties will be built on both sides of the ring road. The development work on the economic zones will be started at the earliest.
For setting up the economic zones, the Punjab government will acquire up to 30,000 acres and traders belonging to Rawalpindi and Islamabad chambers of commerce and industry will invest in the economic zones.
A new vegetable and fruit market will also be built along the ring road near Rawat and all goods transport’ stands from city areas will also be shifted to Rawat.
All furniture and cottage industries and pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing factories from the twin cities will also be shifted to the new economic zones once they were established.
RDA Chairman Tariq Murtaza said that the ring road was not just a road project but it also envisages “a whole new Rawalpindi city equipped with modern facilities”.
He said that five to 10-storey buildings and plazas will be allowed to be set up along the ring road. These multi-storey buildings will be built with special technology to make them disaster-prone.
He said that there will also be service roads on both sides of the ring road.
He said that work on the ring road project will be started by the end of October.
It should be noted that after the change of government in the centre and Punjab, no work could be carried out on the project despite its inauguration and initial moving of machinery and equipment as the PML-N-led provincial government showed the least interest in carrying out the project.
Following the inauguration of the project by former prime minister Imran Khan, the PTI-led Punjab government released Rs4 billion and assigned the RDA with the task to acquire the land.
After the release of the initial sum by the provincial government, the RDA awarded the contract to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). The FWO, which won the contract for the project at a cost of Rs22.80 billion, also started work on April 16 at Banth Mor and Thalian Interchange but after the political turmoil in the country, the ongoing work on the project was halted practically.
According to the sources, the RDA could not utilise the Rs4 billion due to political uncertainty in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2022.