Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that the construction of 22-kilometer Expressway to be built on Nullah Leh would help rapid development of the city. He was addressing businessmen at Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) here on Thursday.
The meeting was part of the preparations being made for March 27 public meeting to be addressed by President General Pervez Musharraf. The minister said that the government would rehabilitate about 70,000 families affected by construction of the Expressway on both sides of Nullah Leh.
Nullah Leh was a symbol of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and illnesses and the dwellers on both sides of the Nullah had been living in a miserable state of health, he said. Rashid said the mega project of about Rs 18 billion would change the whole scenario and the area would emerge beautiful after the construction of the Expressway. He urged the business community to attend the March 27 public meeting.
President Pervez Musharraf would open Expressway and Super Flyover projects to be constructed from Flashmans Hotel to Faizabad besides announcing more development projects for Rawalpindi, he said. The minister said that after completion of Jinnah road, Pirwadhai road, Sadiqabad and Holy Family roads, the government would start repairing and widening Asghar Mall road.
He said that this 400-bed hospital was the first quakeproof hospital being constructed in the city. The government would also construct 30-35 storey quakeproof towers aimed at providing cheap residential facilities to poor people. Very shortly work would be started on plazas at old TMA office and Banni Chowk, he added. Rashid said that soon prime Railway land would also be auctioned for 100 petrol pumps and 200 hotels as no businessman had invested in this sector.