Implementing Maryam’s ‘Clean Punjab Project’ in letter & spirit
In the outgoing year 2024, the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Rawalpindi played a key and significant role in providing high quality recreational and tourism facilities to the citizens of the garrison city.
Under the leadership of Director General (DG) PHA Ahmed Hassan Ranjha and in line with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s ‘Clean Punjab project’ vision, parks were upgraded in Rawalpindi as well as Murree and visitors were provided with state f-the-art recreational environment. The list of the accomplished tasks is long including entertainment facilities, cleanliness, trimming of the plants and shrubs, construction of pavements, etc.
Similarly, the parks along the Murree Road have been upgraded and visitors particularly families have commended the work like pavements, sitting enclaves, flowers and fountains there.
According to the spokesperson of the PHA, in the year 2024, a landmark was achieved when 1,000-kanal nursery Gorakhpur Nursery was launched in Rawalpindi by the PHA from where saplings were distributed among the public for plantation in the parks and homes.
Moreover, most of the targets set by the PHA Rawalpindi for the year 2024 regarding tree plantation were also successfully ensured.
To name one, in the year 2024, upgradation work of Rawal Park was completed in Rawalpindi and the park was transformed into the best entertainment place for the citizens of Rawalpindi.
The spokesperson further said that renovation and upgradation work of Potohar Park and Allama Iqbal Park were also completed successfully in the year and now both the parks have become centre of attraction for the people especially families and children who can enjoy the best recreational facilities.
In the year 2024, the spokesperson said, the PHA decorated the parks and entertainment places, as well as green belts of the city’s main highways and major squares.
The green belts of Murree Road, Stadium Road, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed Chowk and other highways of the city were decorated with beautiful flowers and plants, said the spokesperson adding the PHA has also played a key role in providing sports activities to the youth and the football grounds in Allama Iqbal Park and Rawal Park have become very popular among the youth for sports. Similarly, a cricket arena has been developed in Commercial Market Park, which again is frequented by the players and the youth almost twice a day.
The spokesperson while giving details of the PHA work during 2024 said the PHA has developed Contrala Park and Playground in Gujar Khan, which offer better recreational facilities to the citizens of Gujar Khan.
Likewise, the PHA has created beautiful and ornamental plant beds under horticulture in Police Training Academy Rawat, the spokesperson said adding a beautiful and attractive green area has also been developed at the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology. Moreover, rainwater harvesting measures have been organized by the PHA in Rawal Park, where rainwater is stored and used for plantation purposes.
Under the ongoing plantation campaign, PHA is planting trees around the Ring Road in Rawalpindi giving a beautiful look and shady trees. Besides, plantation measures have also been promoted.
The PHA has also developed Lower Topa Park Murree in the outgoing year 2024, which has provided better recreational facilities to the tourists and visitors.
The development work of Lower Topa Park Murree was completed in the year just as the upgradation work of Quaid-e-Azam Park in Rawalpindi has been completed. Along with this, beautiful lighting arrangements have been completed along the walking tracks in Murree and in the parks of the city.
