Riverfront project started under PM’s vision of Naya Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The dying river Ravi is set give birth to a new Lahore on the largest 46 kilometers riverfront to compete with any modern city in the world.

An ambitious urban development project by Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government to build a new Pakistan, Ravi River Front Urban Development (RRFUD) project will uplift the dying river, almost reduced to a nullah by the unlawful construction of dams by the Indian government.

The construction of a 46-kilometer lake from Ravi Siphon to Hudiara, laying of a complex network of roads and construction of 12 new high-tech cities would be the hallmark of this project, the one being started under the vision of the prime minister for building ‘Naya Pakistan.

Provincial Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering (HUD&PHE) Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed described it a novel project that would benefit the communities and investors and help improve environment of the city.

He said the riverfront would be developed in three phases. In the first phase, a lake covering 46 kilometers area, six wastewater treatment plants, three barrages and urban forest would be developed during first three years.

A land area of 103,271 acres will be acquired for the project that would also include building of wastewater and surface water treatment plants, network of roads and 12 new cities including Medical City, Residential City, Downtown, Commercial Hub, Urban Farms and Miscellaneous Use City would be built.

Lahore city once known for its beautiful gardens, historic buildings and a culture loved by everyone, had suffered unchecked populace migration, pollution and ground water adulteration.

Innovation City spanning over 1,370 acres will be developed in the second phase, while the third phase will see the completion of Knowledge City, Sports City and Eco City on a land area of 14000 acres.

The lake will purge the Ravi of domestic and industrial waste and provide 271 billion liters of water. The wastewater treatment plants would help treat 2.4 billion liter water that would irrigate 75,000 acres of land.

The plant will decrease dependency of Lahorites on the ground water by 50 percent as 2.4 billion liters of safe drinking water will be produced from the canal water after treatment.

The project will be completed with an estimated cost of Rs2,000 billion with financing to be met though Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), Joint ventures (JVs), Private Finance Initiative (PFI), multilateral loan and grants and budgetary grants and developer financing.

Mounting pressure of human and vehicular population resulted in multiple health and mobility problems. During last winter, it was reckoned the most polluted city in the world due to prevailing massive smog that had resulted in ailment of thousands of its residents.

“We have envisaged a city of future dreams. It will meet the water needs of Lahore till 2045,” Mahmood ur Rasheed said. “With a length of 46 kilometers and a width of 3,280 feet surrounded by a 33 feet high wall, it would look like a gift of nature for the people of Lahore.”

Three barrages will be built to attain the water level for the riverfront as the project is to generate an enormous financial activity through creation of new jobs, housing facilities, clean environment and futuristic facilities.