RDA Plans Rs. 69 Million Road Rehabilitation Project for Rawalpindi
The Rawalpindi Development Authority has proposed a Rs. 68.98 million project to repair major roads, footpaths, drains and manholes across the city, with Old Airport Road and Rawal Road as top priorities.
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is preparing to launch a road rehabilitation programme valued at approximately Rs. 68.98 million, following a year in which the city saw no major road repair work. The authority has begun surveying roads in need of attention, identifying Old Airport Road and Rawal Road as the most urgent priorities because of their deteriorated condition.
Titled "Framework Agreement for Rehabilitation/Repair of Roads, Footpaths, Storm Water Drains, Manholes and Road Marking at Different Roads of City," the proposed project covers the repair and maintenance of roads, sidewalks, stormwater drains and manholes, along with fresh road markings across Rawalpindi. The estimated cost, inclusive of taxes, stands at Rs. 68,983,836, and the work is expected to be completed within 12 months.
According to an RDA official, the authority's attention over the past year was largely directed toward the Rs. 47 billion Rawalpindi Ring Road project, which left no room for new road rehabilitation initiatives. The new plan is intended to improve road conditions, ease traffic flow, provide better facilities for pedestrians and strengthen rainwater drainage across the city.
Several other major development proposals did not secure approval from the Punjab government. These included the widening of Murree Road from Committee Chowk to Chandni Chowk and repairs to the stretch between Faizabad and Marrir Chowk. A proposal to rehabilitate Chaudhry Bostan Khan Road from Chaklala Scheme III to the Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi bench was later assigned to the Punjab Highway Department.
Likewise, a planned underpass linking I.J. Principal Road with Double Road at Shamsabad was not approved, prompting the authority to shift its focus toward developing a commercial plaza and constructing apartments for its employees. The latest rehabilitation proposal will now be submitted to the Punjab government for approval; if cleared, the RDA will prepare the project's PC-I before work begins.
