RAWALPINDI: Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) on Thursday asked CDA to review its the decisionwithdrawing No-objection Certificate (NoC) issued to sanitation agency for installation of 12 tube wells on Expressway for the garrison city.

The sanitation agency said it had already done 50 per cent work on Rs1.1 billion development scheme.

Talking to Dawn, Wasa Managing Director Azizullah Khan said that the agency is executing an approved development scheme of the Punjab government costing approximately Rs1.1 billion, aimed at improving the water supply system in Rawalpindi and ensuring the provision of safe drinking water to the general public.

Under this scheme, 12 tubewells are to be installed along Islamabad Expressway and provide water to area along Old Airport and other union councils. Union councils 75, 76 and 77 (Fazal Town, Gulzar-e-Quaid, Dhoke Hafiz, Nazeerabad, Faisal Colony), Union Councils 77 and 78 (Shah Khalid Colony, Fazal Town, Butt Market) and union councils 80 to 82 will be provided water through tube wells that will be installed in Islamabad area.

These tubewells were planned to be installed along the Islamabad Expressway in the green belt area, for which the required NOC was duly issued by Capital Development Authority (CDA) after conducting a proper joint site visit and verification, he said.

On the basis of the approved NOC, he said that machinery has already been deployed at the site, and approximately 50 percent of the work has been completed, while the remaining work is in progress.

He said that an amount of Rs6 million has already been deposited in the accounts of Capital Development Authority (CDA) as NOC charges/permission fee for utilisation of the designated green belt area for installation of tubewells and laying of pipeline.

He said that under the agreement, 50 percent of water extracted from tube wells will be shared with CDA. He said that all requirements had been made in this regard.

However, he said that now NOC has been cancelled, which will not only cause delay in completion of this important public welfare project but may also result in financial loss to the department and wastage of government resources. Moreover, he said that the water supply system in different areas of Rawalpindi may also be adversely affected.

He said that local members of National Assembly from the area had been contacted and informed the situation as the water supply schemes were meant to supply water to the constituency on the directives of the Punjab government.

He said that CDA had also been requested for the restoration of the NOC in the larger public interest, keeping in view the importance of the scheme, the amount already deposited, and the progress made so far, so that the project may be completed in time and water supply may be ensured for the residents of Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2026