Preparation of Master Plan of Rawalpindi on immediate basis directed

Rawalpindi :The work on the preparation of the Master Plan of Rawalpindi for the next two or three decades should start immediately, the groundwater level has dropped to below 650 feet in Rawalpindi therefore instead of digging new tube wells WASA should focus on the alternative sources of water supply to citizens and all necessary work for the launch of the Rs80 billion water supply scheme to Rawalpindi from the Ghazi Barotha Dam should be completed and speedy measures should be taken for the launch of the Rawalpindi Rind Road and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Housing Scheme.

These instructions were given by Punjab Finance Minister Ayeshah Ghaus Pasha at the meeting held at the Commissioner Office here Monday to discuss approval of the 2017-18 budgets of RDA and WASA.

Acting Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Talat Mehmood Gondal, Mayor Rawalpindi Sardar Naseen Ahmed Khan, Parliamentary Secretary and MPA Sarfraz Afzal, Chairman Rawalpindi Waste Management Company and MPA Raja Hanif Advocate, Vice Chairman WASA Ziaullah Shah, MPA Lubna Rehan and senior officers of concerning government departments also attended the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Punjab Finance Minister Ayeshah Ghaus Pasha said opinion of WASA, WAPDA, Highways, and other concerning departments should be included in the TORs to be finalised for the Rawalpindi Master Plan. She said the master plan should not be made for the ad-hoc purposes while effective plan should be made keeping in view ground realities. She also ordered the constitution of a committee to review proposals for the master plan. She said all development authorities including Rawalpindi Development Authority should be self-reliant and should provide funding for the development schemes given by public representatives.

Mayor Rawalpindi Sardar Naseem said the plan for the Rawalpindi Ring Road is necessary to meet traffic rush of fast growing city of Rawalpindi. He said the water level in Rawalpindi is falling rapidly therefore CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif is taking personal interest in the implementation of Ghazi Brotha Dam water supply scheme to meet future water needs of Rawalpindi. The meeting also discussed schemes of WASA and RDA for the financial year 2017-18 in detail.