RAWALPINDI: After including the resting area, the cost of land and construction material of Rawalpindi Ring Road (R3) project had escalated by another Rs7 billion.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that earlier, the cost of Rawalpindi Ring Road was Rs31.7 billion but after adding new features to it, the cost had risen to Rs38 billion.

He said the caretaker Punjab government had decided to construct the resting area on Ring Road corridor just as it was on the motorway in Bhera. The administration had therefore been asked to revise the PC-I so that the Planning and Development Department would examine it and give approval.

He said Nespak, which was the consultant of the R3 project, had been asked to revise the PC-I.

More land, construction material required to execute work

The 38.3km Ring Road will have five interchanges at Baanth, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road and Thalian while an industrial zone would be established around the road.

Work on the project had started in August 2023 and was scheduled to complete in August 2024.

When contacted, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director General Saif Anwar Jappa said the revised PC-I of Rawalpindi Ring Road would be prepared soon and would then be sent to the Planning and Development Department for approval. After getting approval, the provincial government would release money, he added.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha on Tuesday reviewed Rawalpindi Ring Road project. FWO representatives, RDA officials and other concerned officials participated in the meeting.

The commissioner directed the RDA to send the revised PC-I to the Punjab government as soon as possible, adding that overall 21pc work on Ring Road had been completed.

He said so far 53 piles had been constructed on the bridge, adding that a period of two years has been set for the completion of this project, but it was hoped that it would be completed by coming August.

Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Chattha said the project would greatly benefit the citizens of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The 38km long Ring Road project was a kind of motorway project on which five major interchanges would be constructed.

Apart from this, he said economic zones would be created along the Ring Road, which would promote economic activities and provide employment opportunities to the locals.

He said full compensation for land acquisition would be given to the owners.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2024