Rawalpindi: The Rawalpindi Bar Association has expressed strong resentment over the “ill-planned and disorderly” start of the Katcheri Chowk remodelling and widening project, alleging that the construction work has severely affected access to the District Courts and disrupted the functioning of the judicial complex.
The Katcheri Chowk project, being executed by the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) through the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), is aimed at easing chronic traffic congestion at one of the city’s busiest intersections connecting The Mall, Airport Road, and Jhelum Road. The project includes the construction of a two-level underpass and an overhead bridge to streamline traffic flow between key arteries leading to the District Courts, police offices, and cantonment areas. Work on the multi-billion-rupee scheme began recently and is expected to take more than a year to complete.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Bar Association said that despite repeated requests to the district administration and the RDA for a coordinated execution plan, the project contractor had started heavy machinery work inside the premises without prior notice. As a result, the approach roads to the courts, parking areas, and even entry points for lawyers and litigants have been blocked, creating immense difficulties for the legal community and the general public.
The Association further alleged that the ongoing construction activities have damaged court premises and vehicles parked nearby. “Thousands of lawyers, litigants, and court staff face daily hardship due to poor planning and absence of safety measures,” the statement read.
The Bar body criticised the district administration for failing to provide an alternate route or proper traffic management plan before starting excavation and heavy civil works in the area. It warned that if the situation was not rectified immediately, the lawyers’ community would be compelled to boycott court proceedings and hold protests at the site.
The Rawalpindi Bar Association has demanded that RDA and the project contractor immediately restore access to the courts and ensure the protection of public property. It also called upon the Commissioner Rawalpindi to personally intervene and ensure that no compromise is made on the rights and safety of the legal fraternity during the project’s execution.
The statement was jointly signed by President Rawalpindi Bar Association Malik Aftab Khan and Secretary Advocate Muhammad Irfan.
