Rawalpindi The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), which is all set to inaugurate certain projects, out of which the major one is ‘Food Street’, has turned once encroached and shabby-looking Saddar into a beautiful site with effective and practical measures. The history of Rawalpindi dates back to the 15th century when it was founded by Sardar Jhanda Singh in 1493. The name suggests that it was primarily an abode of the famous Rawal tribe. Originally, as suggested by the pictures, Saddar had vast roads and streets with a large number of green trees and healthy and serene environment. With the passage of time, these areas were overcrowded with concrete jungle. The trees were cut; the greenbelts and grassy areas were deserted due to noninterest of the authorities. The number of vehicles grew contributing to pollution. The bazaars became narrower due to the parking of vehicles of the visitors as well as encroachments by shopkeepers, illegal stalls and pushcarts. The parking places were converted into plazas or markets. New multi-storey buildings were erected without coping with the ever-growing need of parking. The small shop boards were replaced with huge and ugly looking billboards. The historical buildings were covered with signboards of the size as that of the building façade. Every corner had a horrid hoarding awaiting to hit your sight and breaking the soft look of the area. After the arrival of new RCB CEO Fahim Zafar Khan in 2014, things started to change and the authorities seemed to have keen interest in uplifting Saddar. A lot of work was decided to be done in Saddar and its adjoining areas and, in fact, in the whole Rawalpindi Cantonment. The uplift programme was started in May 2014 under the RCB Grand Uplift and Beautification Plan. Under this programme, multiple improvement steps were started simultaneously. These included removal of pushcarts, encroachments, illegal stalls, illegally extended shops and unpleasant looking shop boards and hoardings for the first time in the history of Rawalpindi Cantonment. This yielded original designs and façade of the buildings in the area. Uniform sized shop boards and other signage is introduced for the first time in Saddar. The building façades were improved by means of restoring their original structures and designs. The overhead horrible-looking wire and cable jungle was shifted underground which provided a sense of wideness in streets and bazaars as well as safety from fire and electric shock hazards. The provision of new and dedicated parking areas was also given high priority. Encroachments were removed. Illegal commercialisation was taken cognizance of. To restore the green past and to break the harsh look of the roads, greenbelts and planters are introduced. The road medians, which originally had barbed wires and dust and mud, were drastically improved and multi-colour perennial flowerbeds were incorporated. Even the electric poles, wherever present, have some beautiful flower baskets riding on them instead of being clogged with wires. Fully grown and tall date palm trees have been transplanted along Kashmir Road in front of Mall Plaza and the GPO. It is a great addition to the beauty of the Saddar. Another extremely beautiful greenbelt with boulders was designed and implemented at Haider Road and Saddar Road around the new parking which discontinues the rigid look of the commercial buildings running on both sides of the road. A state-of-the-art ‘Pedestrian Street’ has been designed and created in Saddar on Bank Road. This features, tuff tiled walkways, lovely entry gates, wonderful lights and building illumination, beautiful street furniture and an especially designed sitting area in front of the NBP, Saddar Branch. An ‘Artiste Corner’ incorporating singers, flute and ‘tabla’ players, violinists, guitarists, jugglers and other street performers is included in the street. New footpaths have been laid and old ones repaired. A ‘Clock Tower’ with latest design has been erected at a crossing on Bank Road. Moreover, special cleanliness campaigns are launched. Residents are made aware of their responsibilities by imparting awareness through newspapers, banners and pamphlets. Open drains are either covered or in most cases replaced with piped sewer lines. To improve the hygiene conditions and to provide the residents with healthy food, numerous steps have been taken. In this connection, all food vendors and bakeries in Saddar are asked to strictly comply with the cleanliness and hygiene rules as described under the food laws. Proper vaccination of workers of these shops or firms, clean kitchens, clean eating places and furniture, use of only fresh and hygienic ingredients and provision of disposable head covers and gloves for the workers are to be ensured. One vertical floral wall with exotic plantation on it is a great addition to the beauty of Haider Road. Some other ornamental walls are created in Saddar in place of previous encroachments those provide historic look to these roads. Almost all small and branch roads are improved. Some roads now have greenbelts along them and road medians have plants and flowerbeds. Various planters have been placed either along roads or at road medians. The places, where previously garbage dumps were seen, now have green floral patches. A lot of dedication and effort was required to bring Saddar back to life from ever increasing misery which was done by the Cantonment Executive Officer Fahim Zafar Khan with keen interest and enthusiasm. He took the project as a challenge and completed it at a brisk pace. This drastic change that one can see in Saddar has just come in six months along with many other contributions in the Rawalpindi Cantonment and the RCB Office itself. The time will decide if the officers those follow him will be able to keep a pace with him and continue these services or vice versa but his contribution of one year has shown us a way how thing should be.
