ISLAMABAD, SEPT 20: The federal government has decided to construct a ‘Tourism Expressway’ from Rawalpindi to Murree as an alternative route for tourists, the Chairman Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Tariq Mehmood Murtaza, said on Sunday.

Tariq Mehmood Murtaza said that the alternative route will also touch the new tourist destinations that would pass through four Tehsils of Rawalpindi district.

He said that the project would be completed in two years with an estimated cost of Rs. 4.5 billion.

“The surveys and study of the project have been completed,” he said, adding that the first tranche of Rs. 1.5 billion has also been released for the project.

“The RDA chairman said that it is a Public Sector Development Project and approved by the PM Imran Khan to promote tourism in the region and the project to be executed by Communication and Works Department, Punjab,” he added.

The 123-km-long tourism expressway will stretch from Rawat Pandori Chowk to the four hilly tehsils of Rawalpindi – Kahuta, Kotli Sattian, Kalar Syedan, and Murree.

He added that the construction work of the project would be started soon, and the project would be completed in two years.

According to him, commercial buildings, plazas, factories, markets, and hospitals would be built on both sides of the expressway, while large parks would also be set up along the road. The chairman added that the RDA has also finalized a plan to plant 300,000 fruit, flower, and shade trees on both sides of the expressway.