Daily Times

The administration would set up an economic zone of 5000 acres in Rawalpindi to facilitate the business community, said Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, Liaquat Ali Chatta.

He informed that the master planning of Rawalpindi includes an economic zone of 5000 acres where the traders would set up the factories and provide economic opportunities to the local people.

The Commissioner said that Rawalpindi is a division of six districts covering 22.993 square kilometers. Rawalpindi division has 22 tehsils and a total population of the division is 11.406 million.

Rawalpindi Division has a literacy rate of 72.25% and there are 12 universities and five specialized institutions in the division, Liaquat Ali Chatta added.

The division has a total of 544 schemes worth Rs 179,576 million under the Annual Development Program (2023-24) and 33 percent funds had been utilized so far on the development schemes, the Commissioner added.

At present, work on various mega projects is underway in Rawalpindi.

Phase-I of the Rawalpindi Ring Road, a mega project to reshape Rawalpindi, was swiftly being completed, he said.

Economic Corridors would be created along the Rawalpindi Ring Road to provide maximum economic opportunities by promoting local industry in Rawalpindi.

An economic zone of 5000 acres would be created under the master planning of Rawalpindi on the proposal of the business community, he said.

The construction work of Dadocha Dam was also swiftly being completed to provide Rawalpindi with 35 million gallons of clean drinking water per day.

Several other projects including Leh Expressway, Katchehari Chowk, Safe City Project, Water Supply Schemes and revamping of Holy Family hospital project would be completed.

Construction of 150-bed Rehab Center at Wah General Hospital, up-gradation of Pirwadhai Bus Stand, Slaughter house, VICS Centre, Freelance IT center and Gymkhana in all the districts of the division were also included in the development schemes of the current year.

Divisional Public Schools had also been started in other districts of the division.

Liaquat Bagh Library would also be developed.

The divisional administration’s current focus is on action against hoarders, environmental issues, tourist facilities in Murree, provision of better travel facilities for the public and upcoming elections, he said.

Due to lack of feeder bus service, full utilization of metro bus could not be achieved, he said adding, a feeder bus service would be started across the city to cover 80% of the city. These feeder buses would transport passengers from across the city to metro stations, he added.

All arrangements were being completed for the upcoming general elections, he said adding, there are 13 constituencies of the National Assembly and 26 constituencies of the Provincial Assembly in Rawalpindi Division.

5494 polling stations and 52,837 polling staff were being appointed for the general elections, he said.

There were 58 small dams in the Rawalpindi division and a proper water supply system had been developed, the Commissioner informed.

The irrigated area had been increased from 17,000 acres to 42,000 and the target is to take it up to 80,000 acres by fully activating the water supply system of the small dams, he added.