Int’l consultant to redefine route of RR project
The process of hiring an international consultant to determine the most viable route for the mega project of Rawalpindi Ring Road, which has been stalled for the last 15 years, has been initiated.
According to sources, an important meeting of the top military officials, Rawalpindi Development Authority officials, and road infrastructure experts was held on Saturday regarding the above-mentioned projects.
RDA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa, Chief Engineer Dr Habibullah Randhawa and other relevant officers attended the meeting.
The participants of the meeting were told that the process of hiring an international consultant for re-routing on the Rawalpindi Ring Road was in progress and it is expected that the work order will be issued to the consultant by May 22, after which the consultant will redefine the project’s route and submit its report within 45 days.
The route report will be submitted to Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Subsequently, the process of awarding the contract for the project will be started after obtaining its approval from the Punjab government.
The participants agreed to start the Leh Expressway project at the earliest and said CDA should be obliged to prevent the sewage of Islamabad from entering the Nullah Leh, while in Rawalpindi, a network of trunk sewers should be laid on both sides of the nullah and there should only be rainwater in the middle of the drain and roads should be laid on both sides.
The meeting also constituted two committees regarding the Ring Road and Lai Expressway projects.
It was decided that the signal-free project of Kachehri Chowk from Koral Chowk to Kachehri Chowk via Peshawar Road Chowrangi No 26 will be included in the development plan of the next financial year while the Ring Road and Lai Expressway projects will be made part of the development programme of the new financial year.
The meeting was informed that the Defence Chowk Expansion project is being taken up by the NHA.
The meeting was told that the long-standing problem of the traffic on this most important route will be solved with the signal-free corridor project up to Koral Chowk and Kachehri Chowk via Peshawar Road Chorangi No 26 same as the Islamabad Expressway has been made signal free from Zero Point to Rawat Chowk.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 14th, 2023.