Rs3.917 billion is earmarked for development schemes in Rawalpindi, while the budget includes funding for parking, buildings and planning studies.

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has finalised its budget of Rs8.76 billion for the financial year 2026–27. However, the budget does not include a plan to improve Murree Road, one of Rawalpindi’s major roads.

The budget was reviewed by the RDA finance sub-committee, chaired by Rawalpindi Commissioner and RDA Director General Salman Ghani. The estimates were then submitted to the Punjab government for final approval.

According to the budget details, Rs3.917 billion has been set aside for ongoing and new development schemes aimed at improving infrastructure and urban facilities in Rawalpindi.

Funding Allocated for Development Projects

The budget includes several road, drainage and planning-related schemes. These include the Rawalpindi Ring Road, the Nullah Leh project and a feasibility study for the second phase of the Ring Road.

The allocations reported for these schemes are:

• Rawalpindi Ring Road: Rs3 million for the 38.3-kilometre route between Banth on N-5 and Thalian near M-2.
• Nullah Leh Project: Rs1 million for a feasibility study and detailed design of a trunk and outfall sewer along the Nullah Leh corridor.
• Rawalpindi Ring Road Phase-II: Rs5 million for a feasibility study and detailed design of a proposed route from Thalian to GT Road.

These amounts are allocations for the listed schemes and studies, not their total project costs.

Budget Includes Parking and Building Projects

The RDA has also allocated Rs368 million for parking facilities in different areas and Rs10 million for improvements to the Fawara Chowk Parking Plaza.

Other planned expenditures include Rs572 million for residential apartments for authority employees and Rs450 million for multi-storey buildings on vacant RDA plots. Around Rs154 million has been allocated for feasibility studies and geotechnical investigations.

The authority expects to generate Rs4.482 billion from its own sources, while Rs3.917 billion is expected from Punjab government grants, the Annual Development Programme and deposit works.

Murree Road Improvement Not Included

Despite the overall budget, a specific plan to improve Murree Road is absent from the approved budget estimates reported by the authority. The road is an important route for daily commuters and traffic moving through Rawalpindi.

The budget’s final implementation will depend on the Punjab government’s endorsement and the progress of individual schemes.