Rawalpindi: RCB to construct Rs 115m building on Rex Cinema site

[Naveed Yaseen]

* 100 shops will be constructed on first and second floors and
25 flats on remaining three floors
* Basement will have a capacity for parking of 400 vehicles

By Aamir Yasin

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) will start construction of a residential-cum-commercial plaza at the site of Rex Cinema, Westridge Bazaar by end of August, sources told Daily Times on Saturday.

The project would cost Rs 115 million and the RCB has completed the feasibility study to provide accommodation facilities to its employees and generate earning for the board, said the sources.

They said the Rex Cinema was demolished a few years ago, as it was not providing any earning to RCB. They said the land had been lying vacant thus the RCB decided to utilise it for commercial purposes.

According to the sources, RCB wanted to construct an earthquake proof commercial-cum-business plaza and provide a parking facility to people visiting the bazaar. They said the construction plan had been submitted to Military Lands and Cantonments Director General for final approval.

Parking: They said a five-storey plaza would be constructed on a total area of three kannals and its basement would have a capacity for parking of at least 400 two-wheelers and four-wheelers on daily basis.

Shops: They said over 100 shops would be constructed on first and second floors of the plaza and on remaining three floors 25 flats would be constructed.

They said the project would be completed in three phases due to shortage of funds. In the first phase, the basement, ground floor and first floor would be constructed by the end of this year and after receiving the earning from shops’ rent the remaining part of the plaza would be constructed.

Roads repair: The sources said RCB also approved Rs 14.5 million for repair and maintenance of roads and streets in different areas of its jurisdiction. Under this project worth of Rs 10 million, the RCB would repair roads at Kamalabad, Dhoke Syedan, Mohallah Zamindaran, Naseerabad, Siham, Allahabad, Misrial Road, Chur Chaki and adjoining areas, they said.

They said RCB had already given green signal for construction of Dhoke Gujran Road near landfill site at the cost of Rs 4.5 million, as the road needed repair for last many years. The road has been damaged due to movement of heavy vehicles like bulldozers and dumpers, which visit the landfill site daily.

The sources said the civic body also approved a project to upgrade streetlights on main road and streets, construction of new tube well and installation of filtration plant on Mughalabad ground.

They said work on the above said projects would be launched within a week and it would complete by June end. Funds for all these projects would be provided from annual development funds of the civic body.

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