Not interested? Multi-billion ‘mega mall’ project deferred

Shah Balut Park and Odeon Cinema were to be razed for the mall’s development.

RAWALPINDI: After agreeing in principle to construct the Rs16 billion, 5.5 acre, 12-storey Landsdown mega mall in Rawalpindi cantonment, the government has decided to postpone the development. The development was to be the city’s largest project to-date.

The project was intended to commence at the current site of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board’s (RCB) main offices and official residences, Shah Balut Park, Cantonment Library and Odeon Cinema. These properties were to be razed and replaced by the Landsdown mega mall, with RCB offices relocated to another area.

A briefing for the Landsdown mega mall’s development was reportedly given two years ago to then army chief, secretary defence, Corps Commander and Quarter Master General, who had in principle approved the development.

Design changes were also requested from the secretary defence at the time, whose feedback altered the final plans for the project. The project was initially meant to be funded by the premium charged on leases on allotments at the construction site, instead of the national treasury.

As the ownership of the site belongs to the Landsdown Trust, the trust’s lease was meant to be converted to a commercial lease. This however was postponed till now.

The 12-storey mall was said to contain plans for a five-star hotel, shopping mall, gymnasium, residential flats, play area, auditorium, multi-national food chains, conference halls, corporate offices, fire suppression systems and basement parking.

As a result of the project’s postponement, authorities have instead decided to build a new office block and records room for the RCB at the site worth Rs20 million and Rs15 million, respectively.

When contacted in this regard, RCB Executive Officer Faheem Zafar Khan said a definitive decision to go forward with the Landsdown project could not be reached. He said an update meeting on the project’s status was requested from the authorities, but no progress had been made in that regard. Khan added that as all properties in question are owned by the Landsdown Trust, the matter of converting the trust’s lease to a commercial lease was still outstanding.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2015.