RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration on Thursday asked the traffic police to ensure smooth traffic flow during road-cutting operations.
It also asked the Punjab Highway Department to complete the work within the stipulated timeline.
A meeting regarding permissions for road-cutting operations and details of ongoing works was held, chaired by Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Salman Ghani. Director Development Syed Nazarat Ali, Additional Commissioner Coordination Kashif Hussain and officials of other concerned departments attended the meeting.
During the briefing, the meeting was informed that Smart Net project for laying Sky47 fibre-optic cables had been divided into two phases. The first phase covers a stretch of 18.20 kilometres, from Iqbal Gate to Shahkaf Bridge in Capital Smart City. A deadline of 21 days has been set for completion of this phase.
The second phase covers a 29.50-kilometre stretch from Gandhara Gate, Capital Smart City, to Ghorkpur, with a stipulated completion period of 28 days.
Speaking on the occasion, the commissioner said that government institutions are willing to facilitate the business community to ensure that economic activities continue uninterrupted.
However, he said that it was equally important to ensure that the general public did not face inconvenience. He directed all concerned departments to ensure strict compliance with the prescribed regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
The Highway Department was instructed to ensure that all work is completed within the stipulated timelines while maintaining quality standards. He further directed that all necessary public safety measures be implemented at construction sites and that proper backfilling of all pits be ensured upon completion of work.
The commissioner observed that road-cutting activities in urban areas often cause inconvenience to citizens and create traffic management challenges. Therefore, all concerned departments must ensure comprehensive planning and effective coordination before initiating any road-cutting work.
He added that wherever feasible, modern alternative techniques such as thrust boring and ducting should be adopted instead of conventional road cutting to minimise damage to road surfaces and existing infrastructure.
Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2026
