RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government on Monday arranged a special briefing for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the Ring Road Project.

An ADB delegation, comprising Sana Masood, Safia Shafique and Uzma Altaf, visited the commissioner office where Commissioner Azmat Mehmood, senior officials of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Nespak briefed them.

The delegation was informed that the design of the road was being prepared so that land could be marked for procurement. The road will start from Chani Sher Alam and end at Chakri Road to connect the G.T. Road with the motorway.

The commissioner said the basic objective behind the construction of the ring road was to prepare a separate corridor for heavy vehicles, including trucks, so that traffic congestions within the city areas would end.

`Total 9,894 kanals of land will be acquired for the project which is likely to be completed in two years.

The Ring Road Project was envisaged in 1991 during the first PML-N government. However, with the frequent changes of governments for a decade, the project could not be executed.

When the PML-N came to power in Punjab in 2008, a new feasibility study was conducted by the RDA with the estimated cost of Rs74 billion under the public-private partnership.

The provincial government unsuccessfully tried to attract investors from China and Turkey. In 2016, work on the project was again started and the consultant was hired for preparing a fresh feasibility study and the PC-I with some changes.

When contacted, RDA Chief Engineer Ather Hussain Bukhari told Dawn that the ADB was selecting some projects in Punjab for extending loans. The briefing for the delegation was arranged as the ADB had shown an interest in the Ring Road Project.

He said the delegation was informed that Nespak was carrying out a fresh survey of the area to prepare the PC-I, which was likely to be completed by the end of May.

`The PC-I of 2008 has become outdated as many development works were undertaken in the area since then,` Mr Bukhari said.

`The basic purpose of the survey is to find out the hurdles on the way. The road design will be prepared keeping in view graveyards, water resources and residential areas do not come under the proposed land which will be acquired for the project,` he said.

In reply to a question, Mr Bukhari said the starting point of the ring road would be an area in the middle of Chani Sher Alam and Mandra Bridge while its exit would be between Phallian and Chakri Road.

He said no economic zone would be constructed along the ring road as it would double the cost of the project. `The right of way of the ring road would be 300 feet against the previous plan of 900 feet on both sides,` he said.