Pindi uplift plan okayed

CM instructs WASA to immediately prepare PC-1s for all proposed schemes

RAWALPINDI:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has given in-principle approval to the Rawalpindi Development Plan, prioritising upgrades to the city's water supply and sewerage systems. The Water and Sanitation Agency's (WASA) managing director has been instructed to immediately prepare PC-1s for all proposed schemes.

This directive was issued during a joint meeting on Monday, chaired by the Punjab Secretary for Urban Development and Public Health Engineering, Noorul Amin Mengal. Officials from the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), WASA, Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), and Public Health Engineering attended the session.

The secretary emphasised the need for swift monsoon preparations and urged the early completion of the feasibility study for sourcing water from Daducha Dam to ensure a sustainable supply for Rawalpindi. He proposed building ground storage tanks in parks, following the Lahore model, to store rainwater for horticultural use, stressing that "every drop of water must be saved."

The secretary housing praised WASA for exceeding its revenue recovery target, collecting Rs2.6 billion against the assigned Rs2.3 billion, and called for an even higher target in the upcoming fiscal year.

WASA Managing Director, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf, shared that a comprehensive monsoon plan is already in place, including the expedited cleaning of 15 city drains and Nullah Leh. Staff training and sewer line maintenance have been completed, and five monsoon camps will be operational, backed by a central control room at WASA Headquarters.

To ensure an uninterrupted water supply during summer, 20 new tube wells are being installed, and additional intake from Rawal and Khanpur dams has been secured. Ongoing dam projects will soon add 12 MGD from Chahan Dam, 5 MGD from Rawal Dam, and 8 MGD from Khanpur Dam. The feasibility for the Daducha Dam, expected to provide 35 MGD, is set to conclude within two months.

During the meeting, the RDA director general gave progress updates on major projects, including the Ring Road and Nullah Leh schemes, which were highlighted for timely and transparent completion. PHA Director General, Ahmad Hassan Ranjha, also briefed the participants on citywide park beautification efforts.