RAWALPINDI, Sept 7: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has requested the federal government for a grant of Rs255 million for laying of pipeline and road network in the cantonment areas, it has been learnt.

Out of the total amount, about Rs200 million will be spent on water supply system whereas the remaining Rs55 million will be kept for road construction.

Sources said there were about 60 localities where no official water supply system existed. Some of the residents have dug up their own wells, many depend on their neighbours while others have to bring it from far-off places.

After the initiation of supply from Khanpur Dam Water Project, the cantonment board has enough water, but it cannot be provided to most areas because of non-existence of pipeline network.

For the last several years, the civic body has been planning to extend its supply network to those localities where no water supply system exists, but the plan could not be materialized due to non-availability of necessary funds.

Apart from the above-mentioned amount, the cantonment board also needs an amount of Rs210 million for the ongoing second phase of the Khanpur Dam project. The total cost, which fell in the RCB share, on the second phase had been estimated at Rs510 million. Out of the total, only Rs300 million has so far been provided, while the remaining Rs210 million is still awaited.

When asked about the water projects, the RCB executive officer, Khawaja Iftikhar Mir, confessed that a request for the provision of Rs255 million had been made to the federal government. The amount, he said, if provided would be spent on water supply network and road construction.

“We want to provide water and other facilities to the residents at their doorsteps, but unavailability of finances is the main hurdle,” he said.

If the required funds are not provided, things will be affected, Mr Mir added.