RAWALPINDI: Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood on Tuesday said that the new master plan of Rawalpindi, which would be ready by June, would help improve the civic facilities in the district.

Talking to Dawn, he said the work, which had been started in collaboration with Punjab Intermediate Cities Improvement Investment Program (PICIIP), will improve water supply, solid waste management, urban transportation infrastructure and other civic facilities.

He said the absence of the master plan created problem to launch new projects and we started the work to provide civic facilities to the residents.

Meanwhile, the commissioner directed Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), Wasa and Regional Transport Authority to share all digital data with PICCI.

He was presiding over a meeting with officials of PICIIP at his office.

A detailed briefing was given on the objectives of PICIIP to improve water supply, sanitation, sewerage system, solid waste management and transport infrastructure with coordination of government departments and agencies.

The commissioner said Rawalpindi had vital geographical location as it was a twin city of the federal capital and shares boundaries and road links with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

He said that the traffic was the top problem of Rawalpindi and mega projects like Rawalpindi Ring Road and Leh Expressway are in the advanced stages of approval that will not only mitigate traffic problems but also improve urban living of Rawalpindi.

He said CPEC route passes through the city of Rawalpindi which will enhance its dynamic location and make it the trade hub.

He said Global Active Cities Project has been launched in Rawalpindi division which had made Rawalpindi first globally active city in Pakistan, second in South Asia and third in Asia which focuses on promoting healthy lifestyle.

The commissioner asked the PICIIP to post a focal person at the commissioner office for better coordinating and made the director Finance and Planning as a focal person.

He said he would meet the team of PICIIP once in a month to discuss progress and issues.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2020