Tourism highway to be constructed for Rawalpindi-Murree tourists

Rawalpindi : The Chairman RDA Tariq Mehmood Murtaza held a press conference on Thursday. In the start, he strongly condemned India's atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He said India has made Kashmir the largest prison in the world where the rights of Kashmiris are being denied.

He said to provide an alternative route from Rawalpindi to Murree for tourists and to reach new tourist destinations, a tourism highway will be constructed which simultaneously pass through four tehsils of Rawalpindi.

He said new approval of the regime about Private Housing Societies and Building Plans has been established, like approval of map, layout plan in 30 days, approval of change of land use in 45 days and approval of housing schemes in 75 days.

He said in the current year more than 1,600 maps of residential and multi-storied buildings were approved, which is a record in the history of RDA.

In the last three years, income tuned to Rs1.00 billion was achieved. In the last financial year 2020-21, RDA achieved revenue of Rs559 million against e revenue target of Rs295 million. By implementing the austerity drive of the Prime Minister of and the Punjab Chief Minister, RDA saved Rs189 million in its non-development expenditure. He said recruitment process is being made through PPSC as Punjab Government has firm belief on merit. Eleven officers, four sub engineer, and one assistant will be appointed very soon.

He said RDA is taking indiscriminate action against all schemes from July 2018 to date legal action taken like 307 legal notices, challan 91 issued and 112 FIR have been registered. RDA has sealed offices of 135 schemes and gates of 61 schemes and billboards etc were demolished. On the occasion, he said that Under Digital and Digitized Pakistan, the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, RDA has also started digitization.

One Window Operation Centre equipped with modern facilities has been set up in RDA. Under which residential and commercial maps are being received digitally which are being approved in a short period of 30 days. The records of RDA's State Management Directorate have been digitized while the work of Process Automation has been started for the convenience of the public in the next phase.

Talking about Completed Schemes by RDA he said that two-lane road Qadeer Khan Road from Missile Chowk to Falcon Complex (1.75 km) has been completed under ADP at cost of 223.687 million. Rehabilitation and expansion of the old Airport Road Flying Club to Kral Chowk (3.45 km) completed at a cost of 443 million.

Completed Feasibility Study of Katchri Chowk and Defense Chowk under ADP at an estimated cost of Rs14.550 million. Talking about Ongoing schemes he said that rehabilitation and expansion work is underway from Dry Port Road to Airport Road to Prime Minister's New Pakistan Housing Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 443.158 million.

The estimated cost for construction of bridges for pedestrians on the old Airport Road under ADP is 109.934 million and work on the scheme is under process. Talking about ADP Proposed schemes he said that the estimated cost of land acquisition for Nullah Leh is Rs30,250 million, estimated cost for remodeling of Katchri Chowk is Rs 3,630 million and estimated cost for remodeling of Defence Chowk is Rs2,200 million.

The Chairman RDA said that WASA has completed dredging / desilting work of Lai Nullah well before onset of monsoon season. The record rainfall was recorded in twin cities last and Nullah Lai was raised upto 21 ft at Katarian Bridge and 17 ft at Gawalmandi Bridge but no flooding was observed in the city. The work of dredging / desilting of Lai Nullah was completed in June with the grant of Rs30.00 million by the Govt. of the Punjab. WASA is alert and a rain emergency has already been enforced and leaves of all operational staff has been cancelled.