Major uplift projects likely to hit snags

Punjab govt halts work on ongoing and new development projects in Pindi

RAWALPINDI:

Several major development projects in Rawalpindi including the Nullah Leh Expressway, the sewage treatment plant and the Rawalpindi Ring Road are likely to hit a snag as the Punjab gocal government and finance ministry has halted work on ongoing and new development projects till June 30.

With this decision, work on at least 12 mega projects in Rawalpindi including Nullah Leh Expressway, the Rawalpindi Ring Road, Chahan and Dadocha dams, and other projects will be stopped.

After the ban, construction work on three new large commercial parking plazas will not be started.

Sources said that funds earmarked for development projects have been immediately withdrawn.

A source at the Rawalpindi Development Authority said that the provincial government has conveyed its message to the civic agency about the hold-up of funds.

With this decision, payments to government contractors will not be made till June 30, the sources said.

According to sources at the provincial ministry of local government, it has been decided not to allocate funds for these mega projects even in the new financial year 2023-24.

According to the sources in the RDA, work on al mega projects of Rawalpindi have practically been halted and it has been left to the next elected government to decide on their fate.

After the ban, the cost of the development projects is likely to go substantially.

The Nullah Leh Expressway initially envisaged in 2007 had been estimated to cost Rs17 billion which was put on hold in 2008 when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government came to power. Since then, no headway had been made on the vital project its estimated cost has increased to Rs105 billion. In case of further delay, an exponential increase in its cost is expected to swell further.

The Nullah Leh will have 12 feet wide road on both sides with barriers to protect it from the intrusion of humans and animals. Trunk sewers will be laid under the Leh Expressway to transport wastewater to the city. The sewers will join together in the Soan River from where the wastewater will be transported to the WASA treatment plant in Gorakhpur.

After treatment, the treated water will be channelled to the Soan River again which will be used for irrigation.

The sewage treatment plant was envisaged in 2005 and at that time, its estimated cost was put at Rs15 billion, which has now increased to Rs30 billion.

Similarly, work on the 38.3 kilometre-long Rawalpindi Ring Road project has almost been halted after its inauguration last year.

While the Ring Road project dates back to 2002 and was initially estimated to cost Rs22 billion has now increased to over Rs70 billion. Similarly, in case of any further delay, its estimated cost will further balloon.

Former prime minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of Ring Road on March 19, 2022. Some work has been done on it but now work on it has been stopped.

 

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