Pakistan’s largest Punjab province plans to build a new city along the river Ravi in the north of Lahore metropolis, a burgeoning city of 11 million people.
A newly constituted River Ravi Front Authority has been tasked to execute the project, which would be launched after an ordinance formally gives a go ahead.
Skeptics say raising billions of dollars in the midst of coronavirus outbreak would be a gigantic challenge. Besides, the government needs to come out with a clear-cut roadmap and a package of incentives for investors.
Supporters say location of the planned city would in itself would be a big incentive for local and international investors, and a large market of people in the heart of the city would attract businesses linked to real estate to be part of the futuristic projects.
The city to be developed over an area of 404 square kilometers, will have 1.4 million residential units to accommodate another five million people, according to the provincial government.
Lahore, a historical city has evolved and spread over 1717 square kilometers is the second biggest urban center of the country after Karachi.
In this new state-of-the-art city, construction of high rise buildings will be the top priority of the government on the model of Dubai city in the United Arab Emirates. Running along the river in a northeast-southwest direction, will set a new center of the City in the districts of Lahore and Sheikhupura.
As per the original plan, the new City would be developed on both sides of the riverbank along a 33-kilometre long stretch contiguous to Lahore district’s northern and western boundaries. A proposal is under consideration to sell over 25,000 acres of riverfront to investors for business and cultural activities.
The new city will have a big lake and 3 barrages. With the completion of this project, not only the growing problems of climate change and warming, water and traffic are expected to reduce in intensity.
The plan envisages an investment of Rs 5000 billion is likely to pour in from the private sector.
Originally conceived by the government of former Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif in 2013, the proposal was shelved due to the dearth of requisite foreign investment of $7.5 billion.
The completion of the project will see a number of residential and commercial zones, medical city and forest reserve besides a central business district.
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World-renowned engineering company Meinhardt was hired by the government of Pakistan, in 2014, to run a feasibility study on River Ravi for the execution of the urban development project. In its report, the firm highlighted the problem areas of the project and recommended ways to Lahore Development Authority (LDA) for its smooth development:
The riverfront was projected to be developed on the lines of the one on the banks of River Thames that runs through London.
But the development of new city along river Ravi face some challenges too. Getting water in River Ravi during the winter season is one of the biggest challenges to the launch of new city project in Punjab as the Marala-Ravi Link Canal is closed in winters
The wastewater dumped into River Ravi is another major challenge that needs to be addressed. Approximately, 65 cusecs to 584,000 cusecs of wastewater are directly poured into River Ravi.
The government officials hope the new city project in Punjab would attract foreign tourists as the establishment of an international airport is also in the master plan. The planned city’s close proximity to the airport would be a major lure for foreign tourists visiting the city.
