RAWALPINDI, March 27: President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday said Rawalpindi would be brought at par with Islamabad in terms of development and public facilities.

The President was addressing a big public gathering at Liaquat Bagh after inaugurating work on Rs16 billion Leh Expressway and Flood Channel Project. Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas were also present on the occasion.

The President announced construction of a flyover at Marir Chowk with Rs3 billion, which would link Rawalpindi with Islamabad and also facilitate the traffic flow.

President Musharraf termed Rawalpindi a historic city, which once used to be the headquarters of Northern Command in British era, and said he was aware of the city’s current civic conditions which needed to be improved.

About the Leh Expressway project, President Musharraf said it would help overcome the flood havoc caused by the city’s main drainage artery and manage the flow of increasing traffic.

“It will not only save the people from the devastations of floods, but also smoothen the traffic flow through a bridge linking Chaklala to Islamabad,” the President said.

It would also change the destiny of the people residing between Kattarian and Ammar Chowk due to increase in land price, the President added.

The President ruled out displacement of existing slums at the banks of Nullah Leh for the accomplishment of the project and said only a few would be affected for which adequate compensation in shape of land and other facilities would be made.

He announced changing the name of Leh Expressway to Sheikh Rashid Expressway in recognition of the minister’s contribution for the concept and materialisation of the project.—APP