RAWALPINDI: In Raja Bazaar, the commercial hub of the city, the civic agencies have failed to maintain roads and greenbelts and other facilities.

The PML-N provincial government has been claiming that it would make Rawalpindi a modern city, and has launched the metro bus service worth Rs44.21 billion. But a visit to the city areas showed that roads and streets needed repair and maintenance.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) with 200 gardeners and millions of funds have also done nothing for the beautification of the city, especially along the major arteries.

The main objective behind the establishment of the PHA was to beautify the city and maintain the over 36 parks and greenbelts. But visiting Raja Bazaar from Murree Road via Liaquat Road, one finds dried greenbelts filled with garbage.

Saplings had been planted on the medians of the roads but due to the negligence of the civic agencies most of the plants have dried up and got uprooted.

Citizens say despite availability of funds and staff, maintenance of roads does not seem a govt priority

“The authorities concerned failed to provide civic facilities to the residents and, therefore, we do not expect any beautification work at least in Raja Bazaar,” said Mohammad Tahir, a resident of Usmanpura near the Bara market.

He said heaps of garbage can be seen on the main roads as the civic agency had never lifted them.

Yousuf Mirza, a resident of Naya Mohallah, said the roads needed reconstruction and maintenance.

He said the government should improve the condition of the roads, greenbelts and remove encroachments from Raja Bazaar.

A senior official of the RDA told Dawn that the PHA was busy in the reconstruction and upgradation of cricket, hockey and other grounds and stadiums.

He said the PHA was also constructing a cricket ground and pavilion at the Government Muslim High School No 1, Saidpur Road, and a playground at the Government Waqarun Nisa Postgraduate College.

Commissioner Zahid Saeed, who is also chairman of the RDA, said the provincial government would pay one per cent of the Rs44.21 billion allocated for the metro bus project to the PHA for the improvement of greenbelts and beautification of the roads.

In reply to a question, he said the PHA took over the charge of parks and horticulture three years ago and would improve

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2014