Construction of overhead bridge okayed

RAWALPINDI:

The district administration has approved a mega project to construct an overhead bridge from the Grand Trunk (GT) Road to the parking area of the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench.

According to official sources, the project will permanently resolve the issue of traffic jams during VVIP movements around Swan Camp on GT Road and the District Kacheri Road.

They said the Punjab Highway Department will oversee the execution of this project.

The project will cost an estimated total of over Rs1.24 billion, they said, adding that the amount has already been released.

The project is said to be completed within a span of one year.

Meanwhile, a high official of the department concerned has invited bids from contractors and firms on January 28. On February 1, a regular contract will be awarded for the bridge’s construction, they said.

Sources also informed that the construction work will begin by February 10.

It’s worth noting here that the surrounding areas of the planned project are highly sensitive in terms of VVIP movements and have residences of high military bureaucrats.

Every morning, on one pretext or the other, roads are closed for traffic due to which motorists and locals of the surrounding areas suffer immensely.

The traffic flow usually remains suspended with regular intervals from 7am to 12pm and then from 3pm to 8pm every evening.

On the same road, there are a lot of private schools as well. Ambulances travelling from GT Road to the hospitals within Rawalpindi city are frequently blocked.

Additionally, attorneys and judges often arrive late for court appearances because of the rush.

The officials further said that this overhead bridge will also make traffic from Link Road to Gilroy's Road signal-free along GT Road.

Lawyers and judges going to the high court will easily reach the high court’s parking area using this bridge.

High Court Bar President Talat Mehmood Zaidi and former President Sardar Abdul Raziq Advocate thanked the local MPA and the Punjab CM for approving this bridge and issuing tenders for starting the work on the project.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2023.