Rs. 750 Million Raja Bazaar Project Flooded Three Times During Monsoon Rain

The recently revamped Raja Bazaar in Rawalpindi endured three flooding incidents during the onset of monsoon rains, with water levels reaching up to three feet and sewage water inundating the market despite a Rs. 750 million reconstruction initiative. The 250-year-old commercial hub has been transformed into a pedestrian shopping street adorned with vibrant lights and other enhancements.

However, the flooding wreaked havoc on portions of the newly completed beautification efforts and inflicted significant financial losses on local merchants. Market conditions resembled a vast pond as floodwaters inundated stores and coated the pedestrian avenue. In response to the Deputy Commissioner's orders, the district administration, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), and Municipal Corporation initiated urgent drainage and restoration measures.

The 1,500-meter stretch between Dingi Khoi and Raja Bazaar Chowk was restored within 24 hours, with floodwaters extracted, the street rinsed with clean water, and damaged lighting replaced. In the meantime, authorities have sanctioned a fresh project intended to thwart comparable flooding during the 2027 monsoon season. This project entails deepening and widening the principal underground stormwater drain beneath Raja Bazaar, installing a substantial cemented tunnel and robust pipelines to augment drainage during intense rainfall, and enlarging the drains at Dingi Khoi Chowk, Mochi Bazaar-Raja Bazaar Chowk, and Namak Mandi-Raja Bazaar Junction.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that Raja Bazaar is "the heart of the city" and pledged to finalize the project before the onset of the subsequent monsoon. Nevertheless, traders have vehemently criticized the recurrent flooding and demanded interest-free loans to reimburse affected businesses for their losses.