RAWALPINDI: The Government of Punjab Consultants Selection Committee for Mega Projects has decided to hire a consultant within three months for third party validation of one of two optimal routes for Rawalpindi Ring Road and Settlement of an economic corridor along it.
This was decided in a meeting held on Saturday under the chairmanship of Commissioner Noorul Amin Mengal.
The meeting was attended by senior government officials and representatives from finance, planning and development departments, highways, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director General Saif Anwar Jappa and Chief Engineer Dr. Habib Randhawa.
A senior official with knowledge of the meeting told Dawn that the committee had decided to hire a consultancy firm to work on the project in two phases – Phase I for determining the optimal route for the economic corridor and Phase II. for detailed land use planning along the alignment validated by a third party ring road.
“For the two phases, 90 million rupees have been allocated, including 30 million rupees for phase I and 60 million rupees for phase II,” he said.
He said the economic corridor would be selected taking into account the components of the economic zone which could include envisaged industrial units, education and health zones, recreation zones, central business districts, theme, high-rise construction areas and the relocation and establishment of businesses. markets, bus/truck stations.
He said traffic management to achieve a sustainable and achievable futuristic growth factor of twinned cities should be added to the scope of the mission.
He said the meeting also decided that the entire consultant selection process would be finalized in 45 days, resulting in the completion of Phase I in 60 days. The Phase II award is expected to be completed within 90 days and the Phase II work order to the successful bidder will be awarded after the completion of the optimum road alignment.
He said the meeting agreed that the companies shortlisted by the Department of Planning and Development were not in line with the required scope of the assignment, as the companies must have the expertise in road infrastructure and construction. land use. Therefore, he said, it was decided that the tender in accordance with the rules of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) would be published to hire the company.
The federal government has enlisted five main projects to attract foreign investment after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the United Arab Emirates.
These projects are: Parco Coastal Refinery Phase I Petroleum Import Terminal, Kharian-Rawalpindi Highway, Rawalpindi Ring Road, Karachi Ring Railway and Thar Block II Connectivity with the rail network.
The federal government wanted to attract foreign investment instead of starting the Ring Road project as part of the annual development program or through local investors.
Posted in Dawn, August 28, 2022
