Rawalpindi: In a significant move to augment administrative capabilities, the Punjab government announced plans to create four new tehsils within Rawalpindi district, aiming to improve civic services and accommodate the district’s growing population needs.
According to Zameen.Com, the expansion will elevate the number of tehsils from seven to 11, streamlining the provision of services across the district. The restructuring involves the bifurcation of existing tehsils including Rawalpindi City, Saddar, and Cantonment, raising their count from three to six. Additionally, Gujar Khan tehsil will see a division that will set Daultala, with its population of over 200,000, as a separate tehsil.
The current tehsils of Rawalpindi include Rawalpindi City, Saddar, Cantonment, Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, and Taxila. With the introduction of the new tehsils, the region is set to enhance its local governance significantly. A senior district administration official noted that the new tehsils will offer residents easier access to civic facilities, reducing the need to travel to far-flung administrative centers like Raja Bazaar or Rawat for everyday administrative tasks.
“The population in our tehsils has seen a substantial increase lately, placing a strain on our administrative staff,” stated the official. “The creation of new tehsils will relieve this burden, aid the Land Revenue Department in better record management, and help control illegal urban constructions.” The proposal to the Punjab Board of Revenue for the new tehsils addresses critical factors such as demographic changes, land revenue boundaries, and law enforcement jurisdictions.
The Land Revenue Department has moved forward with the proposal to divide Gujar Khan into two tehsils, with the Daultala tehsil creation still pending final approval from the Punjab Board of Revenue. A formal announcement is expected upon approval. The initiative follows Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s authorization of additional assistant commissioners in Rawalpindi and Lahore, mirroring a similar expansion that recently occurred in Lahore.
Deputy Commissioner Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema reported that preparations for the new tehsils are underway, which will improve the operations of the Land Revenue Department and facilitate direct service delivery to the populace. “With the establishment of new tehsils, we will appoint assistant commissioners, tehsildars, and other pertinent officials to ensure efficient operations,” Dr. Cheema added. “This decision is poised to reduce the current load on land revenue offices, providing quicker access to land records and minimizing service delays.”
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has also approved additional assistant commissioners to support the new administrative framework, promoting better public service delivery throughout Rawalpindi.