Rawalpindi: Mega projects come to a halt in Rawalpindi

[Naveed Yaseen]

Saeed Ahmed
The Punjab government has cut down a huge amount worth Rs100 billion on all development projects, which were initiated during the previous provincial government.

Official sources told ‘The News’ here Tuesday that all mega projects particularly the most trumpeted Sheikh Rashid Expressway and Flood Channel project have come to a standstill due to suspension of required funds estimated Rs100 billion by the present Punjab government.

After cutting down the huge funds, the Punjab government has directed the concerned departments to focus all its attention towards Elevated Super Expressway (flyover from Mareer Chowk to Faizabad) instead of debating on old projects.

On the directions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is working on study and designing of the Elevated Super Expressway. However, the sources were not sure when this project will be kicked off.

Though the Punjab government has expressed its unwillingness to continue work on Sheikh Rashid Expressway, the RDA headed by Director General Makeen Shahbaz nowadays is working seriously to re-launch work on it to provide relief to the people from annual flooding by Nullah Leh during monsoon seasons.

The RDA has decided to remove components of traffic control from the Sheikh Rashid Expressway and instead work only on flood channel component for overcoming flood problems caused by Nullah Leh.

In this connection, a meeting of the RDA director general was held with the officials of NESPAK, which is a consultant of the project. The sources said that the RDA has asked the consultants to make amendments in the Sheikh Rashid Expressway project by removing traffic control components as the Punjab government has decided to kick off its own Elevated Super Expressway to overcome traffic problem.

RDA Director General Makeen Shahbaz confirmed the report of slashing components of traffic control from Expressway project. However he did not gave any specific date for re-launching of the project. He said that it depends on release of required funds sanctioned by the previous provincial government. He also confirmed that Mian Shahbaz Sharif is determined to implement Elevated Super Expressway project for which study is being made and would be completed within couple of months. However, he said, it would be kicked off only after allocation of funds and no proper date could be announced in this regard. He also confirmed the suspension of allocated funds worth Rs100 billion by the present government.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=132297