Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is a government agency that is responsible for city planning, regulating developments, and setting standards for improving infrastructure. RDA contracted Mott Macdonald Pakistan (MMP) in 2020 to develop the Rawalpindi Master Plan 2040. MMP was supposed to deliver this project by the end of 2021. However, it didn’t come to fruition for a major reason. It is:
Local Governments Dispute
The local governments disputed over the project ‘Regional development plan for district Rawalpindi and peri-urban structure plans for tehsils of Rawalpindi district (excluding Rawalpindi tehsil)’.
Before diving into the actual dispute, the Tehsils & Municipal Committees of RWP District are given in the table below:
| Municipal Committee | Tehsil Council | Town Committee |
|---|---|---|
| Gujar Khan | Gujar Khan | Daultala |
| Taxila | Taxila | |
| Kahuta | Kahuta | |
| Kallar Sayedan | Kallar Sayedan | |
| Metropolitan Corporation Rawalpindi | Rawalpindi |
Note:
Murree & Kotli Sattian are no longer part of Rawalpindi District. In Feb 2023, the Lahore High Court (LHC) restored the district status of Murree making Kotli Sattian its tehsil.
Actual Dispute
The local government bodies questioned the authority of RDA to carry out such projects in local government areas. The local governments questioned that the governing body of RDA doesn’t speak for the local governments.
RDA Authority consists of:
- Chairman.
- 03 members of the Provincial Assembly
- Chairman P & D Board
- Secretary of the Govt. of Punjab, Finance Department
- Secretary of the Govt. of Punjab, LG and RD Department
- Secretary of the Govt. of Punjab, HUD, and PHE Department
- Mayor of the Rawalpindi
- Commissioner Rawalpindi
- Director General RDA Rawalpindi
- Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi
- Managing Director WASA Rawalpindi
- 02 Technical Members
The authority doesn’t include any of the representatives from local bodies. Therefore, the dispute was valid. The master plan did not provide any tasks to the local body representatives either.
64th Governing Body Meeting of the RDA
To address issues regarding the master plan, the 64th governing body meeting of the RDA was chaired by Commissioner Rawalpindi Liaquat Ali Chattha. RDA Director General Saif Anwer Jappa, WASA officials, and local government representatives were also present in this meeting.
How Did the Dispute Get Solved in this Meeting?
The senior planner presented the Terms of Reference (TORs) of the project to all tehsil representatives. Each Tehsil representative was given an equal opportunity to be part of the master plan. The local government representatives were given tasks to complete preparations for the regional plan.
Furthermore, Tehsil stakeholders discussed the future plans for development.
RDA budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 worth Rs3.255 billion was approved in this meeting. The budget of Rs7.189 billion was approved for WASA as well.
In addition, 5,500 Kanal was granted to WASA for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant on Adiala Road.
RDA Issued New Deadline for RWP Master Plan
The Rawalpindi Development Authority including Rawalpindi Commissioner, WASA officials, and important representatives from the local government. agreed upon giving an extension to Mott Macdonald Pakistan (MMP) till 31st December 2023.
This new deadline means that MMP will have a very limited time, and they have to complete this project now. It has been almost two years since the first deadline. Now, the onus is on MMP to deliver on time without any further delays.
Actual Deadline for RWP Master Plan
RDA awarded the contract to Mott Macdonald Pakistan (MMP) for the RWP Master Plan back in 2020. This project is formally known as the “Regional Development Plan for District Rawalpindi and Peri-urban Structure Plans for Tehsils of Rawalpindi District”.
However, this master plan was supposed to be completed by the end of 2021.
What is the Rawalpindi Master Plan
RDA has announced the RWP Master Plan to transform Rawalpindi. Uncontrolled urbanization has given rise to significant challenges in the city, including inadequate sewage systems, subpar infrastructure, absence of planned road networks, and more. The RWP master plan aims to counter and minimize these issues.
Here are some of the core features of this master plan:
Regulating Housing Projects:
The lack of regulations for housing projects in Rawalpindi has caused major troubles for the city. Therefore, RDA plans on issuing NOC to only those projects that are fulfilling the requirements. It is a step in the right direction to regulate every housing society.
Better Transportation:
RWP Master Plan also includes projects for elevating transportation infrastructure including roads, streets, and new public transportation routes.
Sustainable Development:
RDA is making sure that new developments don’t cause damage to the environment. Furthermore, the RDA itself is planning on developing green spaces, urban gardens, and parks. Rawalpindi will be greener with the help of this master plan.
Conclusion
RDA’s new deadline for the master plan is very important for the development. The meeting between all of the stakeholders assures that RDA is taking the RWP Master Plan very seriously. Moreover, the productive steps have been taken since the meeting. Therefore, you can expect MMP to deliver on time.
RDA Issued New Deadline for RWP Master Plan
If you want to know about RDA Issued New Deadline for RWP Master Plan, contact Makaan Solutions. Our Sales Executive Officer will provide you with all the latest information. Starting from consultation to choosing the property, and from booking to owning your dream property. For further details, please do not hesitate to contact on the below-given information:
