RAWALPINDI, July 7: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has prepared its Rs2.35 billion tax-free budget for 2008- 09, it has been learnt.
City District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas, who is also the civic agency’s chairman, has given the nod to the budget, which will now be vetted and finally approved by the district assembly.
Out of the total outlay, a sum of Rs1.62 billion has been set aside for the RDA, and the remaining Rs727.069 million for the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa).
In RDA’s allocation, Rs1.36 billion has been earmarked for development schemes under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) that will be funded through Punjab government’s grants.
RDA’s Additional Director General Makeen Shahbaz told Dawn on Monday that proposal for the grants had been submitted to the Punjab government with a briefing on uplift schemes to be carried out during the current fiscal year.
He said the proposed mega schemes included construction of elevated expressway from The Mall to Faizabad interchange.
According to Mr Shahbaz, an allocation of Rs200 million has been sought for preparing its feasibility report, designs and the PC-I.
Similarly, Rs496 million has been proposed for the construction of a flyover from Jinnah Park to Flying Club Rawalpindi. Work on this project is already underway.
The total cost of this project is Rs1.39 billion and it is expected to be completed within next six months, depending on the availability of funds.
Widening and remodelling of Dhoke Khabba Road is also part of the development schemes planned for the current fiscal year. Another mega project is the feasibility study of the development of a link road from Airport to Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, on the G.T. Road for which Rs100 million has been demanded by RDA in the budget.
The RDA will also start construction work on a parking plaza at Fawara Chowk. The project worth Rs80 million would be financed through RDA’s own sources.
Launching of ‘RDA Business Heights’ in Sherpao Colony at Committee Chowk is also being planned. The project will initially require an amount of Rs10 million. Similarly, for the construction of RDA Complex, a sum of Rs10 million has been allocated in the budget.
Mr Shahbaz said the RDA had finally decided to launch it own housing project near Islamabad’s Sector I-16 through public- private partnership for which Rs50 million had been sought as grant from the Punjab government. He said the RDA had invited consultants and interested partners in this regard.
Giving details about Wasa expenditure, a spokesman for the agency told this reporter that out of the total Rs727.069 million, an amount of Rs283.350 million had been earmarked for carrying out maintenance works.
The total expense of Wasa is estimated at Rs457.016 during the current year. The water tariff has not been increased. It is Rs270.053 million surplus budget, he added.