RAWALPINDI, May 07 (APP): Provincial Minister for Communications and Works, Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth Tuesday directed to take the public representatives on board in district’s ongoing development projects for removal of obstruction. He also directed for completion of schemes on priority basis which were hampered due to minor hurdles.

He said this while presiding over a review meeting on development schemes of Rawalpindi district, held here.
Commissioner Rawalpindi Engineer Aamir Khattak also accompanied the minister.

Bherth asked public representatives to compile the details of schemes which were stopped even having major work done, in their respective constituencies.

He said the means of transportation and road network played vital role in ensuring economic development of any country. Our top priority was to complete main roads in the first phase and link roads in the second phase, he said.

The minister directed MD WASA to activate the filtration plants and tube wells across the city where water sources were already available, to fulfill city’s water shortage.

Bherth directed to ensure the allocation of 1% of every new project for plantations to counter prevailing environmental pollution. Similarly, for the elimination of encroachment from the city, a systematic plan should be prepared, and its implementation should be ensured, he said.

Commissioner Rawalpindi while giving a detailed briefing about the development schemes of Rawalpindi district, informed that under the annual development program (2023-24), there were total 314 schemes in Rawalpindi district, out of which 87 were new schemes.

It was apprised that 28 schemes have been completed while the rest were in progress and 87% of the released funds have been utilized so far. The overall physical progress of the Rawalpindi Ring Road, a mega project to reshape Rawalpindi, is 30%. It was also informed that the revamping of Holy Family Hospital was targeted to be completed by 20 May 2024.

Moreover, Liaquat Bagh Library has been developed on modern lines. It was informed in the meeting that due to lack of feeder bus service in the city, full utilization of Metrobus could not be achieved. Keeping this important need in mind, a feeder bus service is being started across the city which will cover 80% of the city to transport passengers from across the city to metro bus stations.

The meeting was held in Commissioner Office Rawalpindi attended by parliamentarians Raja Hanif Advocate, Raja Sagheer Ahmed, Malik Abrar, Mansoor Afsar, Shaukat Raja, Naeem Ijaz Butt, Imran Ilyas Chaudhry, Iftikhar Ahmed and other members of the Provincial Assembly. Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hasan Waqar Cheema, Director Development Nazia Sadhan and other heads from various departments were also present in the meeting.