RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has finalised two multi-billion-rupee projects to transform the heavily congested Murree Road corridor from Saddar to Faizabad, one of the busiest roads linking Rawalpindi with Islamabad.
The joint schemes, costing nearly Rs9 billion, include construction of new service lanes and complete rehabilitation of the existing carriageway.
RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza said the initiatives were prepared in response to directives from the Punjab government calling for urgent improvement plans for Rawalpindi’s road infrastructure.
“Murree Road has deteriorated badly over the years and needs immediate rehabilitation to provide relief to thousands of daily commuters,” she said.
The larger project, worth Rs8.1 billion, will see new service roads built on both sides of Murree Road between Liaquat Bagh and Chandni Chowk. The entire stretch from Marrir Chowk to Faizabad will become signal-free, after the new project. The existing service lanes from Chandni Chowk to Faizabad will be integrated with the new additions.
She added that a major portion of the budget will go towards land acquisition, while detailed designs will be finalised as soon as the provincial government releases funds. Survey work for acquiring the required land is already in progress.
A separate Rs953 million project will focus on rehabilitating the main carriageway from Saddar (Flashman’s Hotel) to Faizabad. The work will include long-overdue re-carpeting of the road, which has not been resurfaced since the Metro Bus elevated track was built in 2014.
The RDA has formally submitted both schemes to the Punjab government for funding approval under Rawalpindi’s upcoming mega development package.
New school timings announced amid Rawalpindi Kachehri Chowk construction
In another development, earlier, the Rawalpindi District Administration announced new school timings amid construction work at Kachehri Chowk.
As per details, there is temporary change in school timings for all educational institutions in the Cantonment and City subdivisions due to ongoing remodelling work at the Kachehri Chowk.
The notification issued on the direction of Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema stated that schools will now function from 7:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
New school timings were announced to ensure the safety of students and to facilitate smoother traffic flow during construction activities in and around the busy intersection.
The district administration stated that the revised schedule would remain in effect until further orders, and appealed to parents and school administrations to cooperate for the convenience of the public during the construction phase.
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