RAWALPINDI: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has devised a plan to complete beautification of Murree Road within a month.

PHA Chairman Asif Mehmood told Dawn that 92 pillars of the metro track from Saddar to Faizabad would be beautified.

“We will involve private firms and allocate them a small space for advertisement on the pillars and they will carry out the beautification work free of cost,” he said.He said the PHA would give the private firms the design for the beautification of the pillars, adding the chief minister approved the idea during a visit to the civic body office last week. The official said paint and lights would be used to beautify the pillars.

92 pillars of metro track from Saddar to Faizabad will be beautified through private sector, PHA official says

The PHA would also plant trees and establish flowerbeds on Murree Road to give it a green look. The PHA will utilise all plants from its own nursery and no additional money would be spent on the procurement of saplings from private nurseries.

“We will also start face-lifting of old and historical buildings on Murree Road and in this regard the PHA has identified six buildings from Saddar to Faizabad. We will preserve the original beauty of the buildings. Whitewash will be done and lights will be installed on the structures to give them a better look at night,” he said.

The PHA would also improve signboards of shops and the owners would be asked to install boards of the same size. He said a meeting would be held with traders soon to ensure the same design of signboards.

He said large signboards were erected on Murree Road and Raja Bazaar by owners of major outlets while small shopkeepers did not use such signboards.

Mr Mehmood said the civic body would not spend money on the beautification and would complete the work through sponsors.

“The sponsors will advertise their products on a minimum space and it would be monitored,” he said.

“We would not allow the use of a whole pillar for advertisements but only a portion between two pillars would be offered.”

Meanwhile, another senior official of the PHA said there was a proposal to impose tax on the signboards. He said collection would be made from those areas where shopkeepers had installed over 20 square-foot-long signboards in front of their shops.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2019