RAWALPINDI: The district administration has approved a plan to spend Rs120 million on the beautification of Murree Road from Marrir Chowk to Faizabad.

Under the plan, the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) will install screens on both sides of the road to generate revenue from advertisements.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema told Dawn that the Punjab government had directed the district administration to launch the beautification drive, especially on Murree Road, and remove eyesores from the main artery of the garrison city.

He said PHA had been given the task to start the work and after completion on Murree Road, the beautification activity would be launched in Raja Bazaar and Commercial Market.

He said greenbelts would be developed on both sides of Murree Road along with the installation of big screens.

`People will be allowed to advertise their products which will bring an end to unplanned advertisement boards and banners on the road and pillars of the elevated metro bus track, he said.

He said there was a complete ban on wall chalking and through the screens such eyesores will be removed. `Some of the screens will also be dedicated to highlighting the culture of Potohar region and the province,` he said.

He said the civic bodies in cantonment areas had also been requested to start work in collaboration with other civic bodies of the city to improve the condition of roads in the bordering areas of the city and the cantonment.

He said flowers and plants will give a new look to the main road, adding road furniture like benches would be placed where space was available.

The DC said lampposts would also be installed along the road and in this regard a design would be selected in a day or two.

The administration wants to install old and elegant lampposts across the city and in this regard a decision would be made in a few days.

He said the government had also asked the district administration to improve the condition of roads in Commercial Market and Raja Bazaar.

He said Iesco had been asked to improve electricity lines along the main roads and improve the condition of streetlights. The Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation will replace streetlights, where necessary.

Apart from this, he said entry and exit points of Rawalpindi city would be beautified and Rawalpindi Waste Management Company had been asked to make the areas neat and clean so greenbelts would be developed there.

In reply to a question, he said road projects would also be completed soon and after the beautification work the city would give a neat and clean look.

He said RMC had been asked to end illegal parking along main roads to improve traffic flow.

He said the pedestrian street in Raja Bazaar would be completed by the end of next month.