Ring Road to transform life in twin cities | The Express Tribune

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), acting as the executing agency, has announced that over 70 per cent of the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project has been completed.

The project envisions the development of logistics and education centres, a health city, dry port, business hubs, industrial zones, transport terminals, wholesale markets, recreational parks, and residential communities along both sides of the corridor. A special meeting on the Ring Road Economic Zones was recently held at the RDA, chaired by Director General Kinza Murtaza. In her address, she underscored the transformative impact of the project, emphasising that it would not only alleviate traffic congestion in Rawalpindi and Islamabad but also provide residents with a cleaner, healthier, and safer environment.

She added that the initiative would stimulate the regional economy, create new employment opportunities, and enhance civic amenities, while assuring participants that construction would be completed expeditiously.

OIC Senior Adviser Professor Dr Shahid Mahmood hailed the project as a long-awaited necessity for the twin cities, noting that it would act as a catalyst for growth, particularly in the south-western expansion areas of Rawalpindi.

He recommended that the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) be complemented by modern urban planning, enforcement of green building codes, and urban regeneration measures to permanently curb illegal encroachments.

He further affirmed that the RDA would continue to support the business community and encourage private sector involvement, stressing that Pakistan’s economic challenges could best be addressed through increased private investment and the promotion of exports.

He assured that investors in the Ring Road Economic Zones would be provided with every possible facility.

Former ambassador Naghmana Hashmi also spoke at the meeting, remarking that the primary objective of the Ring Road project was to strengthen economic linkages and improve transport efficiency between the twin cities. The meeting was attended by Additional Director General RDA Mansoor Ahmed Khan, the Chief Planner, Director MP&TE, Director Building Control, Director Engineering, and other senior officials.