Commissioner says steps afoot to protect agri land from conversion

RAWALPINDI: Commissioner Rawalpindi Gulzar Hussain Shah has said that in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, protection of agricultural land and lush plots of land have been ensured under Punjab Land Rules 2020.

According to Commissioner Rawalpindi, the work on Rawalpindi master plan would be done on priority basis for which a Strategic Planning Unit would be set up in the commissioner's office and this unit would also review the implementation of federal and provincial laws in mega projects in Rawalpindi.

Commissioner Gulzar Hussain Shah said that due to urbanization, the villages are turning into cities which is causing many environmental problems and long term and short term planning is being done under government policy to stop this process.

He said that the process of construction of houses on agricultural lands would be discouraged under the law and vertical constructions would be promoted in the city limits and for this system the traffic, sewerage and water supply system in the city would be developed in a modern way.

The Commissioner said that regular analysis of the population growth should have been done which could have been helpful for future urban development strategy. He said that site development zones of Rawalpindi Tehsil would be created and regular urban development planning would be done by demarcating urban boundaries. He said that close cooperation between Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation, Rawalpindi Development Authority, Local Government and Community Development and Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantt Boards is very much needed in the process of urban development of Rawalpindi.