Repair of Bostan Road awaits approval as Pindi roads rehabilitation begins

Repair of Bostan Road awaits approval as Pindi roads rehabilitation begins

RAWALPINDI: While the Punjab Highway Department has started work on the rehabilitation of 18 roads in the garrison city at a cost of Rs6.5 billion, the reconstruction of Ch. Bostan Khan Road linking Grand Trunk Road near Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench with Ammar Chowk Chaklala Scheme-III has not been approved due to apathy of the local government. The district administration handed over the construction of main roads, including Ch. Bostan Khan Road, under the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) and District Council, to the Punjab Highway Department. There are a total of nine roads under the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation and as many under the District Council and both have provided Rs6.5 billion to the Highway Department to rehabilitate the roads in areas under their administrative control on the directives of the district administration. However, work on the nine roads has started but the main road is still under process of approval. The condition of the main road, Ch. Bostan Khan Road, from Chaklala Scheme-III to Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench is poor condition and travelling on it has become a nightmare for motorists and pedestrians. RMC, District Council provide Rs6.5bn to Punjab Highway Dept on direction of local administration The road has been full of potholes for the past three years. The 4.4 km-long road connects Media Town, Bahria Town, Gulraiz and other housing schemes with Saddar and Raja Bazaar. Those travelling on the road face hardship due to its bad condition and frequent traffic jams at several places. Even public transporters are facing difficulties to keep their wheels moving on the road. “During rain, motorcycles and cars get stuck in the potholes,” said Ahmed Butt, a resident of Nayyar Colony. The residents of the adjoining areas like Yousaf Colony, Khayaban-i-Tanveer, Gulraiz Colony, Safari Villas, Gharibabad, Dhoke Chaudhrian, Khan Colony, Banaras Colony etc., criticised the civic body for not repairing the road. They said the district administration collected taxes from them and in return did not provide facilities. Meanwhile, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi retired Captain Nadeem Nasir to review the progress of ongoing development projects. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Social Services) Fazail Mudassar along with other relevant officials. During the meeting, the DC was briefed on the status of development projects, including allocated funds, tenders and the progress of ongoing construction work. According to the briefing, a total of 21 development schemes have been identified in Rawalpindi district with an estimated cost exceeding Rs6.52 billion; 18 of these schemes have already been approved. Funds amounting to Rs7.50 billion are available for the projects. The meeting reviewed plans for the construction and rehabilitation of major city thoroughfares, as well as improvements to the drainage system. These included Khayaban-i-Sir Syed Road, Bokra Road, Fifth Road, Rawal Road, the road from Chandni Chowk to Commercial Market, Railway Workshop Road, the road from China Market to Gordon College, 4-B Road and Band Khana Road. Additionally, progress on the construction and rehabilitation of various connecting roads in the tehsils of Taxila, Kallar Syedan, Gujar Khan, and Kahuta was also discussed. The DC stated that any delays in the execution of development projects would not be tolerated under any circumstances. All relevant officers and contractors must ensure the completion of work according to the stipulated timeline and avoid any unnecessary delays in the projects. He directed that development works be monitored regularly, ensuring that there is no compromise on construction quality and that funds are utilised effectively. Where tendering or other administrative processes are underway, they should not be left pending unnecessarily; instead, all required procedures must be completed on time. The DC also instructed concerned departments to resolve any obstacles hindering the work through mutual coordination and to submit regular progress reports, so that the public can be provided with better travel facilities and quality infrastructure. Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2026