Punjab approves Rs214 billion flood protection project along Ravi river

The Punjab government on Saturday approved a major flood protection initiative involving the construction of a large embankment along the Ravi River, aimed at safeguarding urban populations—particularly Lahore—from recurring flood threats.

According to sources within the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA), the project has been allocated a total estimated cost of Rs214 billion.

Of this, Rs150 billion will be secured through a government loan, while RUDA will contribute Rs64 billion from its own resources.

The ambitious plan includes the development of a 90-kilometre-long retaining wall on both banks of the Ravi River.

The embankment will measure 300 feet in width and 27 feet in height, and will feature water regulation structures designed to manage the river’s flow and prevent flooding.

The decision was finalized during a high-level meeting chaired by the Secretary of Housing, with senior RUDA officials in attendance.

Severe flooding in the Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej has already devastated several districts including Lahore, Kasur, Jhang, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujranwala, and Bahawalnagar.

Suburban areas of Lahore have also been submerged by the Ravi’s floodwater, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of houses and damaging millions of acres of farmland.