The Punjab government has approved the long-awaited feasibility study for the Nullah Leh project, aimed at resolving Rawalpindi's chronic open sewage and flood-related issues.
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has invited expressions of interest from expert firms for the feasibility study and detailed design, with a budget allocation of Rs41.260 million.
The project, pending for over three decades, aims to mitigate monsoon flooding and environmental pollution while establishing an alternative traffic route between the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The Punjab cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has renamed the project as the "Feasibility Study and Detailed Design of Leh Nullah Project."
The feasibility study is expected to be completed within six months. The new plan includes a sewage trunk system, a flood channel, and a new traffic corridor between the twin cities.
The open sewage currently flowing into Leh Nala will be redirected into large trunk sewers leading to a sewage treatment plant (STP) near Gorakhpur, while the nala itself will be reserved solely for rainwater drainage.
According to Chief Engineer RDA, Muhammad Anwar Baran, interested firms have been invited to submit their proposals, and a qualified consultant will be selected to complete the study within six months.
Once finalised, the project will proceed to the contract awarding phase, with construction expected to commence afterward.
The Leh Nullah project was initially launched in 2007 but was halted after the 2008 elections. The Punjab government now aims to revive it with an improved scope to address Rawalpindi's environmental and urban infrastructure challenges.
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