RAWALPINDI: Prioritising Rs17.760 billion Leh Expressway project, the Punjab government plans to re-launch the projects stalled during the PML-N government.

Planning and Development Board Chairman Habibur Rehman Gillani on Thursday asked Divisional Commissioner to give a detailed report about the stalled projects.

The Planning and Development Board chairman chaired a meeting to review the on-going development projects in Rawalpindi Division.

Divisional Commissioner asked to give a detailed report about the projects

He said the provincial government was ready to launch Rs3 billion Ring Road project and complete Lower Topa-Kohala Road project, which was started during the PML-N government.

Senior officials of the district government were also present at the meeting.

Mr Gillani said four mega projects including Rs26.60 million ring road, Rs17.760 billion Leh Nullah Expressway, Rs2.129 billion Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and Rs2 billion Lower Topa-Kohala Road projects should be submitted to the provincial government.

The meeting was informed that earlier Leh Expressway project was launched in 2007 and it was inaugurated by then President Pervez Musharrf and the contract was given to Frontier Works Organization (FWO) but the work was stopped in 2008 when PML-N took over government in Punjab.

However, the officials said that there were some changes in the project and it was planned to start the expressway on the both side of Leh Nullah from Soan Bus Terminal near Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench to I. J. Principal Road to connect with 9th Avenue at Katarian.

They said that the length of the project would be increased from 11km to 17km.

Planning and Development Board Chairman Habibur Rehman Gillani asked the commissioner Jodat Ayaz to finalise the report about the projects as soon as possible so the government could start work.

A senior official of the divisional administration told Dawn that the issue of Ring Road project was also discussed.

Planning and Development Board chairman had called a meeting of the board on Friday to give final approval to the ring road project, he said.

He said that the highway department gave a briefing to the chairman about Lower Topa-Kohala Road project.

Daducha and Chahan Dams were also discussed in the meeting and the Planning and Development Board asked the district administration and small dam organization to speed up the work on the projects.

Meanwhile, the Planning and Development Board has made No-objection Certificate (NOC) from all concerned departments like gas, electricity, water and sewerage mandatory for development projects.

He directed that all officers of district to download smart monitoring of development projects app in their mobile phone to monitor development projects from home.

Divisional Commissioner Jodat Ayaz told the meeting that under Annual Development Programme 2018-19, there were 447 schemes worth Rs10 billion in Rawalpindi District.

He said that once completed the schemes would bring relief to general public.

He further said that roads in rural areas are given special preference which will help people in their mobility.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2018