RAWALPINDI: Rehabilitation work on the remaining 13 kilometres of Kahuta-Azad Patan Road is likely to start on February 1 and will be completed in the next three months.

Besides this, the city planners have set a target of planting 85,000 plants alongside the road as part of the beautification campaign.

Last year, the authorities concerned had approved the project of the widening and repair of 31-km Kahuta-Punjar-Azad Patan Road in Tehsil Kahuta with a cost of Rs1.299 billion and 66 per cent of the released funds have already been utilised.

Sources said the work on the project was stalled due to some technical reasons, adding that after removal of the technical hitches a complete design had been submitted to the Punjab government for final approval.

These details were shared in a meeting at the commissioner’s office, presided over by Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chatha.

For this purpose, Karot Company has been assigned the job, which will start the repair work on February 1 after completing the necessary formalities.

Mr Chatha said the road was strategically important as it was a defence route and also served as a main link with Azad Kashmir. He mentioned that some portion of this road had been affected by heavy transport, landslides and water reservoirs. Besides, it has caused inconvenience for the transportation of local people, thus, he directed that the administration of Rawalpindi and Azad Kashmir ensure the provision of security and other facilities to the engineers in this regard.

The commissioner further said that an 18-kilometre section of the project had been completed, adding that the detailed design of the project had been submitted to the provincial government and work would start soon after its approval.

Mr Chatha said under the biodiversity plan of the project, a target of planting 85,000 trees along the road had been set. These plants, he said, would not only maintain the durability of roads but would also restore and preserve the natural environment.

Deputy Commissioner Sudhnot Raja Sadaqat Khan, Local Government Director Sibtain Kazmi, Assistant Commissioner Kahuta Fazlur Rehman, Executive Engineer Highway Azad Jammu Kashmir Nadeem Sarwar, Superintendent Engineer Muhammad Owais, Executive Engineer Highway Umair Ahmed, Deputy Director Community Development Mazhar Nadeem and other concerned officials also attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2024