RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has finalised the project for beautification of Raja Bazaar from Fawara Chowk to Hamilton Road, commonly known as Dingi Khoi, worth Rs470 million and will submit it before the Divisional Development Working Party (DDWP) on Monday for approval.

“An amount of Rs250 million will be spent on shifting of services including electricity, gas, telephone, water as well as sewerage lines in the area while Rs220 million will used for beautification,” RMC Chief Municipal Officer Imran Ali toldDawn.

He said the demand of Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) had been received for shifting of services.

He said Iesco had demanded Rs200 million to shift the electricity cables underground on the one kilometre-long road, however after negotiation, we managed to bring down the amount to Rs180 million.

PC-I to be submitted before DDWP; Area from Fawara Chowk to Hamilton Road to get a makeover

Imran Ali said the SNGPL and PTCL would be paid Rs30 million each for shifting of their services while Rs5 million will be provided to Wasa for relocation of water supply lines in the A rarea.

He said Rs220 million would likely be spent on the beautification of the road and improvement of the main square in Raja Bazaar.

The RMC chief municipal officer said the project’s PC-I would be presented before the DDWP on Monday at the Commissioner’s Office with divisional commissioner in the chair. He said the Rawalpindi commissioner was also the RMC administrator, and the project would get a go-ahead as the Punjab government had already given approval to start work.

In January, RajaBazaar became a vehicle-free zone from Fawara Chowk to Hamilton Road while the RMC had claimed that beautification work would be launched in the area before Eidul Fitr.

However, no work was started and the senior RMC official toldDawnthat it was delayed because Iesco was not ready to reduce the cost that would be incurred on the underground electricity cables in the area.

Under the project, all lampposts would be replaced, benches installed, washrooms for women and men would be constructed, old buildings restored, saplings and trees planted and signboards would be changed so that families would be able to spend a better time in the bazaar.

The beautification work will be started by the district administration alongwith Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation and other departments.

A special traffic plan would be prepared and more parking space would be allocated for cars and motorcycles. It has also been decided to build a model market in the area which will be equipped with modern facilities to attract tourists.

At present, there are four parking sites at Fawara Chowk Parking Plaza, a vacant plot of RMC old offices, Namakmandi and the backside of Ganjmandi police station on the bank of Leh Nullah. However, these parking spaces are not enough.

The local traders had reservations about this project but the provincial government asked the district administration to start work without further delay.

According to traders’ association, Raja Bazaar is a wholesale market for Rawalpindi district as well as Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and many areas of Khyber Pakthunkhwa. Therefore, closure of the main road will create problems in loading and unloading goods.

When contacted, Rawalpindi Traders Association President Shahid Ghafoor Paracha said the administration had allowed traders to load and unload the goods in the morning and night time while handcarts would be allowed to transfer goods from market to the gates of the pedestrian street.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2025