RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration on Tuesday directed the departments concerned to speed up work on Rawalpindi Ring Road and Daducha Dam so people would benefit from these mega projects by the end of 2025.

However, a senior official of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) said both the projects were unlikely to be completed by 2025, as only 18 per cent of work had been completed on Daducha Dam and 40 per cent work on the Ring Road project, launched in August 2023.

The Rs14 billion worth of Daducha Dam project is being constructed upstream of Ling River to collect rainwater from Murree and Kahuta hills in a lake at Daducha village near Sihala on Kahuta Road.

It is believed that after completion of the project, the dam will help resolve the issue of water shortage in Rawalpindi as it will provide 35 million gallons daily (MGD) to the residents of garrison city.

Senior official says only 18pc of work completed on Daducha Dam, 40pc on Ring Road

The land for the dam project had been acquired in 2010 and the construction work started in 2018. However, work on the project has been on a halt since 2021 due to litigation by the landowners over the price issue. The earthwork and excavation for spillway structure had almost been done when the Lahore High Court (LHC) stayed the project.

Later, the irrigation department approached the Supreme Court against the LHC’s decision. The Supreme Court had reserved the judgement in February 2022 and announced it on September 11, 2023.

On December 1, 2023, then Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi laid the foundation stone of the project to restart the work. However,

On the other hand, most of the owners have not received the compensation money for their land acquired for the dam.

The Ring Road project is worth Rs39 billion, including Rs6 billion for land acquisition and Rs33 billion for construction work. It started in August 2023 and during 2024 the project cost escalated twice.

On Tuesday, Commissioner Aamir Khattak, who is the director of these projects, visited Daducha Dam site and Ring Road at Banth. He reviewed the speed and quality of the ongoing work on both the projects and directed to complete the projects within the stipulated period.

He directed to mobilise more teams if needed but all the work should be completed according to the timelines.

The commissioner received a detailed briefing on the Ring Road at Banth in which he was informed that the road was 38.3km and 40pc of the work had been completed.

A new deadline of December 2025 has been given for the completion of the project, however, with the current speed if there is timely supply of funds it will be completed before the deadline.

While giving a briefing at Daducha Dam site, the commissioner was told that the overall physical progress of the project was 18 per cent. The land acquisition process has been completed while civil work is in progress. Excavation of spillways is currently underway. Apart from this, perennial flow pipes have been laid and are being concreted now.

A target of two years has been set for the completion of this project and it is expected that after its completion it will provide 35 million gallons of water per day to the residents of Rawalpindi.

The commissioner directed that the acquired land for Rawalpindi Ring Road should be handed over and compensation to the affectees should be expedited and completed immediately.

He said that the Ring Road is a gift from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to the people of Rawalpindi. After the completion of the road, traffic problems of Rawalpindi will be solved and employment opportunities will be available to the local people through its economic corridor

RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza and FWO representatives were also present.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2025