Prime Minister Imran Khan has launched a $3bn “Ravi Urban Development Project”, terming it vital to save the historical city of Lahore from environmental and food security challenges caused by unplanned settlements.
The project will also bring in foreign exchange through overseas Pakistani investment in the project and will aim at earning revenue to pay back the country’s loans and create millions of jobs.
Prime Minister said that Lahore was known for being the city of garden and flowers, now it is badly polluted. He said it while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RRUDP), adding that it is the need of the hour now to develop new cities. Under the new project, 60 lac trees will be grown in the territory reserved for the forest.
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“This project is meant to revive the lost glory of Lahore, a city struggling to cope with the problems of pollution, sewerage and water shortage,” he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony.
Ravi riverfront urban development project is the needed plan to save Lahore
RRUDP will be the second properly planned project after Islamabad. 1 km wide and 46 km long lake will be the part of this project, the total area of the Ravi project will be 110,000 acres. PM said that it is a difficult project that needs hard work. It will generate income and will cause prosperity in the country.
He further said that in the past that Ravi was a big river that is now converted to drainage. To save Lahore, the Ravi project is a must otherwise people of Lahore will face the shortage of clean water like the people of Karachi.
The garage will be constructed under this project and water treatment plants will also be installed so as to make clean water flow towards the river. PM said that this project is worth rupees 5 trillion and investors will be invited to this project. This is also a good opportunity for overseas Pakistanis.
Key Features Of Ravi Urban Development Project
– The project will be in Lahore District that runs along the Ravi River in a northeast to southwest direction.
– 70% of its area will be reserved for the plantation of 6 million trees.
– Rehabilitation of the Ravi River into a perennial freshwater body.
– The project includes the construction of a 40,000-hectare (100,000-acre) planned city.
– The project is to be completed in three phases with phase I to complete in 2023.
