Road infrastructure uplift scheme under review

A proposal to execute the development scheme for carpeting 13 roads in the inner city through the Communications and Works Department from the Rs2.86 billion development funds of the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation is under consideration.

According to sources, political interference in the municipal corporation and its alleged lack of capacity to execute such a major development scheme have emerged as issues under discussion.

Sources said the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation has Rs2.86 billion in development funds from its own resources, which are to be used to launch a development scheme for carpeting, rehabilitation and expansion of 13 roads in the inner city.

At this stage, however, a proposal has emerged under discussion between the Municipal Corporation and the competent authorities that execution of the said development scheme should be carried out through the Communications and Works Department instead of the Municipal Corporation.

The reason emerging during the discussion is that the Municipal Corporation does not have the capacity to execute such a large development scheme and that political interference also exists in the institution.

However, it is also noteworthy that if a development scheme funded by the corporation is executed through another department, the municipal corporation could face audit objections. When the matter was discussed with newly appointed Chief Officer Municipal Corporation Faisal Shehzad, he said the matter was still under discussion and no decision had so far been made in black and white.