Future planning

Now that work on Rawalpindi Ring Road has restarted after years of delay, it is time to consider making new oil depots on this road. Instead of fuel tankers coming to the already existing refineries or depots near Askari 14 or Chaklala Cantt, these depots should be shifted to Rawalpindi Ring Road. When Attock Refinery (near Askari 14) was first built, it should have been outside the city’s limits; it stands in the middle of the city. The first benefit of this shifting will be that there would be no fully loaded fuel tankers traveling through populated areas. The second benefit will be less traffic congestion.

The third benefit will be less pollution. This is great especially when we consider that pollution in Rawalpindi and Islamabad is already past safety standards. The fourth benefit will be less damage to roads. A decision should be taken as soon as possible as its planning and implementation will take several years. The cost of building new oil depots can be raised by selling the land on which the oil depots are presently located.

Syed Hussein El-Edroos

Islamabad