Rawalpindi: RDA to launch Rs 284 million road reconstruction projects after monsoon

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Feasibility study of GT Road section also part of the projects

By Aamir Yasin

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is all set to launch Rs 284.338 million five projects for the reconstruction of the main city roads after monsoon, the RDA sources told Daily Times on Monday.
They said the provincial government had released funds to the RDA for road projects, including widening and reconstruction of Hameed Khan Road at Dhoke Khaba, the main road of Sherpao Colony, Khanna Road and Saidpur Road as well feasibility study on Grand Trunk (GT) Road.
They said the RDA had written letters to public service departments like Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and others, asking them to improve or relocate their utilities before the launch of the projects so as to save motorists from inconvenience.
The sources said 2.1-kilometre long Hameed Khan Road at Dhoke Khaba would be widened and reconstructed from Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Road to PAF Cinema. They said this project would be completed by the end of year 2011 at a cost of Rs 150 million.
The reconstruction of the Sherpao Colony main road will cost Rs 48.338 million, the sources said, adding, the RDA would also repair faulty traffic signals and streetlights in the colony.
They said the RDA would spend Rs 60 million to reconstruct five-kilometer long Khanna Road from Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Road to Islamabad Expressway via Sadiqabad and Haroon Chowk. They said this scheme would be completed by 2011.
They said Rs 20 million would be spent on the reconstruction of Saidpur Road from Asghar Mall Chowk to Siddiqui Chowk. They said traffic signals and streetlights would also be upgraded on this section of the road.
They said the RDA would conduct feasibility study on the reconstruction of a six-kilometre long section of GT Road from Airport Road to Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench offices near Soan River. They said Rs 6 million had been earmarked for the feasibility study.
Moreover, the sources said, the authority would also plan a number of projects during current fiscal year 2009-10 to improve traffic flow on Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Road.
They said the RDA was likely to allocate Rs 500 million in annual development plan for the renovation of Marrir Chowk underpass and road.

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