Rawalpindi Division

Rawalpindi | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has approved a major Rs36 billion water supply project linked to Dadhocha Dam to meet Rawalpindi’s growing demand for clean drinking water.
The project includes the construction of a surface water treatment plant, transmission line and distribution network. Once completed, it is expected to add 35 million gallons of treated water per day to Rawalpindi’s existing water supply system.
According to the Punjab Housing Department, the project is scheduled for completion by December 2029. Its primary objective is to reduce Rawalpindi’s dependence on groundwater by providing the city with a secure, sustainable and long term source of drinking water.
Water from Dadhocha Dam will be treated through modern facilities before being supplied to the urban population through a new transmission and distribution system.
Housing Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal has appointed WASA Rawalpindi Deputy Managing Director Sohail Aslam as project director for the Dadhocha Dam Surface Water Treatment Plant and Water Supply System.
WASA Rawalpindi has been assigned responsibility for developing the project’s water supply infrastructure. Following the completion of Dadhocha Dam, the agency will construct the transmission line and distribution network required to deliver water across the city.
The new system will connect treated water from the dam to Rawalpindi’s existing water supply network.
Officials said the addition of 35 million gallons of water per day would help ease pressure on the existing supply system and improve water availability in different parts of the city.
Rawalpindi’s continued population growth has significantly increased demand for drinking water, prompting authorities to emphasise the need to add new surface water sources to the urban supply system.
The housing secretary directed the project director to ensure effective coordination among all relevant government departments and institutions and to continuously monitor construction and administrative progress.
Officials have also been instructed to strictly follow the approved timeline and ensure that work on different components of the project proceeds in a coordinated manner so that it can be completed by December 2029.
According to the Housing Department, the project was approved in view of Rawalpindi’s rising water demand and the need for a safe and sustainable source of clean drinking water for the city’s population.
The new system is expected not only to increase the volume of water available to residents but also to improve the reliability of drinking water supplies across the city.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has identified the provision of clean drinking water as one of the provincial government’s priorities. She has directed the relevant departments to accelerate water supply projects, particularly in areas facing shortages, and improve public access to safe drinking water.
The Dadhocha Dam linked project is considered crucial to Rawalpindi’s future water supply infrastructure because it is designed to add 35 million gallons of clean water per day to the city’s existing system.
If completed within the approved timeframe, the project could play a significant role in meeting Rawalpindi’s long term water requirements and improving the reliability of supplies for its residents.

Rawalpindi : ReNews Pakistan
A Rs 50 million road infrastructure project connecting Range Road with Dhok Banaras and Millat Abad has been completed and formally inaugurated in Rawalpindi, bringing upgraded road and drainage facilities to residents of the surrounding localities.
The newly completed Dhok Banaras Road project was inaugurated by Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat and PML N Rawalpindi Divisional President Malik Abrar Ahmed, MNA, along with Punjab Parliamentary Secretary for Zakat and Ushr Malik Iftikhar Ahmed, MPA, and MPA Malik Mansoor Afsar.
The project involved the complete reconstruction of the road stretching from Range Road towards Dhok Banaras and Millat Abad. According to officials, the development was completed at a cost of Rs50 million.
A major component of the scheme is the construction of an extensive drainage system along both sides of the road. The drainage infrastructure has been designed to improve the disposal of rainwater and help reduce recurring problems of waterlogging and urban flooding in the area.
The upgraded road is also expected to improve connectivity for residents and motorists travelling between Range Road, Dhok Banaras, Millat Abad and nearby neighbourhoods.
Local communities had faced problems related to deteriorated road conditions, traffic movement and inadequate drainage infrastructure. The reconstruction project is intended to address these issues while providing a more reliable transport corridor for daily commuters.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Malik Abrar Ahmed said the government was focused on fulfilling its development commitments and improving basic civic infrastructure across the constituency.
He said the reconstruction of the Dhok Banaras corridor would facilitate smoother traffic movement and help resolve long standing commuting and drainage problems faced by residents.
Malik Iftikhar Ahmed said development projects in the constituency would be accelerated, with priority being given to schemes aimed at improving public services and providing better civic facilities.
The project forms part of broader efforts to improve neighbourhood level infrastructure in Rawalpindi, where population growth and increasing traffic volumes have placed additional pressure on existing roads and drainage systems.
Improved drainage is particularly important in densely populated urban areas, where heavy rainfall can quickly cause standing water, disrupt traffic and damage road surfaces if stormwater infrastructure is inadequate.
Officials and elected representatives said the combination of road reconstruction and drainage improvements would provide longer term benefits by improving mobility while also protecting the road from damage associated with accumulated rainwater.
A large number of local residents, community elders and political workers attended the inauguration ceremony.

Rawalpindi : ReNews Pakistan
The feasibility study for Phase-II of the Rawalpindi Ring Road has been completed, with NESPAK identifying the expansion of the existing M-2 motorway corridor between Thallian and Hakla Interchange as the most feasible and least expensive of three proposed options.
Under the preferred alignment, the existing motorway section from Thallian to Hakla Interchange, which forms part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor route, would be widened from three lanes to five lanes in each direction.
The proposed widening would cover approximately 15.3 kilometres and is estimated to cost around Rs 9 billion, significantly lower than the two alternative alignments examined during the feasibility process.
The second option proposes construction of an additional 19.5 kilometre route at an estimated cost of Rs18 billion, while the third option involves a 26.5 kilometre alignment on the western side of the motorway with a projected cost of around Rs 24 billion.
The assessment therefore places the first option at a clear cost advantage, while also allowing planners to use an existing major transport corridor instead of constructing an entirely new route.
The completion of the feasibility study represents an important step towards determining the future extension of the Rawalpindi Ring Road and improving connectivity between Thallian and Hakla. However, the preferred option will still require approval from the relevant authorities before implementation can begin.
Meanwhile, substantial progress has already been made on Phase-I of the project, which stretches approximately 38.3 kilometres from GT Road at Banth Mor to Thallian Interchange.
The main carriageway of Phase-I has largely been completed, while four of its five interchanges — Banth, Chakbeli Khan, Adiala and Chakri — have also been completed.
Work is continuing on the fifth interchange at Thallian after its design was expanded to provide broader connectivity. Despite the remaining work at the interchange, the Ring Road has already been connected with the motorway network.
Construction of toll plazas and installation of the tolling system are now among the major outstanding components of Phase-I.
Once the remaining toll-related infrastructure is completed, the project is expected to be transferred from the Project Management Unit to the Punjab Ring Road Authority, which will assume responsibility for its operation and management.
The Ring Road project has faced several revisions to its completion and inauguration schedule. August 14, 2026, had most recently been indicated as the expected inauguration date, but the opening did not take place because the tolling infrastructure had not yet been completed.
A service area established along the Ring Road, which had previously attracted controversy, has also been removed from the project route.
The proposed Phase-II extension is considered important for strengthening regional road connectivity by providing a more efficient link between the completed Ring Road corridor and the Hakla Interchange on the motorway network.
If the Rs 9 billion widening option receives final approval, the project would add two lanes in each direction along the 15.3 kilometre Thallian/Hakla section, potentially increasing traffic capacity while avoiding the substantially higher costs associated with constructing the two alternative routes.
The final alignment, funding mechanism and implementation schedule will depend on subsequent government approvals and decisions by the relevant project authorities.