Govt Begins Work on a Master Plan for Rawalpindi

Following the revision of Islamabad’s master plan, the government has now started working on a new master plan for the neighboring city Rawalpindi.

Rawalpindi Development Authority’s (RDA) department of Traffic Engineering and Town Planning held a meeting in this regard which was also attended by the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq.

During the meeting, Terms of Reference (ToR) were devised for the revision of the master plan and were subsequently sent to the Punjab Housing secretary for approval.

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Naeemul Haq termed the revision of Rawalpindi’s master plan as inevitable for the city. He directed the Department of Traffic Engineering and Town Planning to start working on the recommended alterations as soon as it gets a nod from the provincial government.

According to the proposal, the 20-year master plan for 2020-2040, is estimated to cost some Rs. 500 million to implement. These expenses are proposed to be met through the Annual Development Program (ADP).

The master plan for the country’s fourth largest city has not been revised for decades. The Housing and Planning and the Improvement Trust first introduced it in 1960 and then in 1996 – but, the plans were not fully implemented in both attempts which only made the situation worse.

Currently, the population of the city is booming which bares other issues such as traffic congestion, a drastic drop in green belts and a water crisis. To overcome these issues, a revision of the master plan is the need of the hour.

Via: Tribune