Ring Road, Murree Road expansion ‘on track’

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director General Kinza Murtaza said that the Ring Road project will be completed in April this year and that 78 per cent of the work has already been completed. The Ring Road Phase II study has been started.

During the briefing she also mentioned that Murree Road will be expanded by 15 feet on both sides and reported that QR codes have been implemented on private housing schemes to prevent fraud. She further noted that Rawalpindi does not have a master plan, which she said was necessary for its proper development.

At the beginning of the New Year, Chief Engineer Anwar Baran, Director Planning Tahir Mayo and RDA Director held a press briefing at the Rawalpindi Press Club on the achievements and problems faced by RDA.

During the briefing, the DG said that those involved in the RDA financial scandal will be dismissed from their jobs after the inquiry is completed. About the Ring Road project, she shared that it would connect the M-2 CPEC route to Margalla Avenue from Thalian Interchange, on which a bus and truck depot, vegetable and fruit market will be built. Big buses will not be allowed to pass beyond T-chowk. A national transport policy is also being formulated.

Moreover, she said that the approval of residential building plans has been made conditional on planting a specified number of trees and the files for residential building plans or commercialisation should be submitted only on the e-system as the manual procedure has been abolished.

She said that green electric buses have proven to be a very successful project and that they have requested the Chief Minister of Punjab to increase the number of buses. Additionally, the RDA team said that they want a proper study of Nullah Leh. They reported that the trunk sewer and treatment plant are the most expensive projects for which there are no resources. They have asked the Punjab government to allow a study of the flood channel and rainwater and alternative routes for Nullah Leh. They have asked Rs25 billion for the study because the consultant refused to conduct the study for Rs4 billion.

The DG also said that the image of RDA has improved and they are working to resolve the University Town issue. NAB and FIA have been given the task of taking action against the owners of University Town. “The affairs of this private housing society fall under NAB. If the government takes over, RDA can take over this private housing scheme that was built by RDA,” she informed the media.