Daily Times

Provincial Minister for Communication and Works Punjab, Malik Sohaib Ahmed here on Tuesday reviewed the progress of the ongoing projects of Rawalpindi district. Chairing a meeting held at the Commissioner Office he said first priority of the government is to complete the main roads in the first phase and link roads in the second phase. The local parliamentarians and heads of the departments concerned attended the meeting. The means of transportation and road network play a very important role in maintaining the economic system of any country, the Minister said. The public representatives should get completed the schemes in their respective constituencies on priority basis in which most of the work had been completed, he added. He directed the Water and Sanitation Authority to activate the filtration plants and tube wells where water source is available. As per Chief Minister Punjab’s vision for a greener Punjab, it should be ensured that one percent of the project allocation should be spent on plantations in all the schemes, keeping in mind the environmental pollution, the Minister said adding, for the elimination of encroachment from the city, a systematic plan should be prepared and it should be implemented strictly. Public representatives should be taken on board during the progress of all development schemes. Commissioner Rawalpindi Division gave a detailed briefing to Provincial Minister on Development Portfolio of Rawalpindi district. The commissioner requested the members of the Provincial Assembly to provide temporary transfer stations to ensure cleanliness in their respective constituencies. He informed that a total of 314 schemes worth 200404.922 million were included under the annual development program (2023-24) in Rawalpindi district including 227 ongoing and 87 new schemes. 28 schemes were completed while work on the rest is in progress. 87 percent funds from release amount were utilized, the Minister was briefed and informed that the overall physical progress of the Rawalpindi Ring Road, a mega project to reshape Rawalpindi, is 30 percent. Target to complete the revamping of Holy Family Hospital project was set May 20, 2024. Liaquat Bagh Library was upgraded to E-library. Feeder bus services are being started in the city to get full utilization of metro bus. The feeder bus would cover 80 percent of the city and transport passengers from across the city to metro stations.