ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: An amount of Rs800 million will be spent on the uplift of Rawalpindi city, the minister for information and media development, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, said here on Wednesday.

He was presiding over a meeting of councillors and Nazimeen of union councils at Lal Haveli.

He said several projects were currently underway and many would be shortly launched. They include doubling of the main road from cantonment to Kutchery and airport on which Rs250 million would be spent and building of an underpass at Committee Chowk for which Rs300 million had been earmarked. He said Rs50 million each had also been made available for doubling of the tunnel at Mareer Chowk and setting up new educational institutions in wards 1,2 and 3 of the cantonment area.

New tubewells would be installed in Cantt wards 1, 2, 3, Jhanda Chichi, Gawalmandi and old cantonment at a cost of Rs20 million, he added. Mr Ahmed directed the authorities concerned to expedite work on all ongoing projects as well as on new development schemes. He said projects having collective significance for the people in the city like construction of roads and streets, establishment of new schools and colleges, provision of fresh water and access to basic health amenities would be given priority.

He reiterated the government’s resolute commitment of providing maximum relief to the common man and urged the Nazimeen and councillors to make every effort to serve the masses in their respective areas.

He said after Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi’s visit to the city on December 21, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali would also visit and speak to a mass rally in Rawalpindi.—APP