RAWALPINDI: A team from the Punjab Planning and Development Board will soon visit the Rawalpindi Ring Road project to review the work before approving the revised PC-I, which has increased the project cost to Rs53 billion.
A senior official of the Planning and Development Department told private media that a pre-Punjab Development Working Party (pre-PDWP) meeting was held last week, where several observations were raised on the revised PC-I.
According to the official, the project cost was increased due to three main reasons: a sharp rise in construction material prices over the last three years, an increase in the width of bridges along with stone-pitching work to protect the road from floods, and the construction of toll plazas and remodeling of the Thalian Interchange on the motorway.
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) stated in the revised PC-I that the contract was awarded to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) in 2022. However, construction material prices have increased by about 40 per cent since then.
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The official said the Planning and Development Board raised objections over the cost increase. When the RDA insisted on the proposed changes, the board decided to inspect the project site before taking a final decision on the revised PC-I.
When contacted, RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza said that some objections were raised during the pre-PDWP meeting in Lahore and these would be addressed within a week before resubmitting the case.
She said a Planning and Development Board team would also visit the site to review the work completed so far. “It is a normal procedure. When a project crosses 70 per cent completion, teams visit the site to check progress and any new additions,” she added.
The RDA chief said the project work was progressing at a fast pace and was expected to be completed within the given timeframe. She added that cost escalation was common in large development projects and the board team would better understand the need for changes after the site visit.
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She said flood channels were added to protect the Ring Road during the monsoon season, while remodeling of the Thalian Interchange was also necessary. Work on interchanges, bridges and road carpeting is being carried out simultaneously to ensure early completion.
She further said that work was also underway to develop an industrial zone along the Ring Road, while shifting of bus stands and goods transport terminals was in progress.
The Rawalpindi Ring Road will be 38.3 kilometres long and will have five interchanges at Baanth, Chak Baili Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road and Thalian. An industrial zone will also be developed along the route.
