Adiala sewerage treatment plant project linked to Leh Expressway.

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government had decided to link the establishment of a sewerage treatment plant for Rawalpindi with the Leh Expressway and flood channel project. The same company will now be undertaking the project via a build-operate-transfer basis.

A senior Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) official told Dawn the sewerage treatment plant will be established in Adiala Village to treat Leh Nullah water and will produce fertiliser, treated water and methane gas from which the company will be able to earn money.

He said the Punjab government is facing financial problems and that it has decided to conduct these projects via a public-private partnership.

He said the Punjab government had two options- allowing the construction company to collect toll tax on Leh Expressway or earn money from the sewerage treatment plant.

He said that last year, the provincial government had asked the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) to make a PC-1 for the establishment of a sewerage treatment plants in its areas for the annual development program of 2018-19.

Under this plan, Rawalpindi was to get one treatment plant, Lahore was to get six, Faisalabad three, Gujranwala two and Multan two in the current annual development program.

However, he said Wasa Rawalpindi sent the proposal but linked it to the Leh Expressway and flood channel and asked for details of land, sewerage system and previous plans related to the sewerage treatment plant with the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA).

He said RDA had enough land for the establishment of a treatment plant on Adiala Road. The land had been procured in 2007 under the Rawalpindi Environment Improvement Project.

A trunk sewer will be laid from Moti Mehal Cinema to Adiala Road to bring...