Ring Road set for commercial expansion

The Punjab government has approved the establishment of an industrial zone along the Rawalpindi Ring Road, where a vegetable market, grain market, livestock market and flower market will be developed, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir said on Friday.

He said the provincial government was keenly interested in promoting industrial and commercial activities in Rawalpindi, adding that establishing an industrial zone along the Ring Road was among its priorities.

The district administration was taking all possible measures to facilitate the business community, promote industrial development and encourage investment, Nasir said while talking to a delegation of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), led by its President, Nosherwan Khalil Khan.

The deputy commissioner said the Rawalpindi Ring Road was a major development project and that promoting industrial and commercial activities along it would create new investment opportunities and generate employment.

He said work was under way on relocating the vegetable, grain and livestock markets closer to the Ring Road. Progress was also being made on upgrading link roads connected to the project.

He proposed that the district administration and the RCCI jointly establish a facilitation centre at the chamber to develop an effective mechanism for promptly resolving issues faced by the business community and complaints received daily.

He assured the delegation that legitimate business concerns would be addressed on a priority basis and that he could also be contacted directly by telephone in urgent cases.

Praising the deputy commissioner, the RCCI president welcomed the initiative to resolve no-objection certificate (NOC) matters within three days through a facilitation desk. He also appreciated the decision not to seal any business without prior permission.