RAWALPINDI, Feb 16: The city administration has submitted PC-I of four mega projects to the provincial planning and development (P&D) department - two flyovers, an underpass and a tunnel.

The executing agencies have proposed the flyovers on Sixth Road and Pirwadhai, the tunnel on Marir Hassan and the underpass near Pirwadhai.

The communication and works (C&W) department and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) sent the summaries of the projects to Lahore on Wednesday. The projects will cost about Rs4.3 billion, officials said.

The RDA will be the executing agency for the underpass and tunnel while the C&W will build the flyover. The agency is already constructing Chandni Chowk flyover and is expected to complete it by April.

Director General RDA Chaudhry Naseer Ahmed told Dawn that the summary and PC-I of the projects had been sent to P&D department for approval, adding the railway authorities had given NOC for construction of the tunnel.

Meanwhile, the traffic police have been asked to chalk out an alternative traffic plan during the construction of the flyovers and tunnel while utility departments will have to relocate their infrastructure coming on the way of the projects.

The projects will bring a positive change in the populous city but sources said funds were being injected into the city as general elections were nearing.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed, who oversees development projects, had expedited work on preparing the feasibility reports of the projects as he would leave his office within a week and former DCO Rawalpindi Imdadullah Bosal, who is now working as special secretary finance, is likely to replace him.

This is for the first time that the authorities have simultaneously sent the summaries of four mega projects. But many government officials are of the view that the ventures would become victims to politics after change of the government.

“You know the elevated expressway project that was approved even by Central Development Working Party (CDWP) during the regime of Pervez Musharraf was shelved by the PML-N-led government in Punjab. The same treatment would be given to the four projects,” a senior official involved in the execution of the projects told Dawn.

However, some officials said in case the projects were approved immediately and tenders floated without delay, the task could be accomplished and it would give a boost to the PML-N in the next elections.

“We will complete all the projects within four months to prove that PML-N is a progressive party and committed to development,” PML-N leader Sardar Nasim who is chairman of the development and monitoring committee of the RDA added.