Mega development projects being initiated in Punjab: CM

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister, Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that a number of mega development projects were being initiated in Punjab for the rapid development of the province and provision of better transport facilities to the masses and these projects would be executed on priority basis in less developed areas.

He said that several developmental projects would commence in the provincial metropolis in the first week of September. He averred that foundation stone of Shalimar fly over would be laid on September 2 while construction work of express roads in Rawalpindi and Lahore would start in October 8.

He issued instructions for setting up of a task force to be headed by Khawaja Ahmad Hassan for the monitoring of development projects and co-ordination between concerned departments. He was addressing a high-level meeting held here on Wednesday regarding construction of different flyovers, express roads and other roads.

Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, Director General Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Director Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), Managing Director TEPA, Vice President Nespak and Mustafa Kamal were present on the occasion. Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that FWO had executed a number of development projects in the provincial metropolis and despite passage of nine years no need had been felt for any repair.

He said that designs had been prepared for the construction of flyovers at Shalimar Chowk and Hussain Chowk in Gulberg, however, the construction work of Shalimar flyover would start first so as to solve transport and other problems of the people of the area as early as possible. He dilated that different projects including Shalimar Road, Multan Road, Circular Road, Shaukat Ali Road, Walton Road, Khurshid Alam Road and Jain Mandir Road would also commence in the first week of September.

He directed Nespak to complete the designing of express road from Lahore Bridge to Ravi Bridge in Lahore and Murree Chowk to Faizabad in Rawalpindi as early as possible so that construction work on these projects could also start in October. Shahbaz Sharif further said that uplift projects were executed round-the-clock in developed countries and this culture should also be promoted in Pakistan.

He said that construction work during night helps in early execution of the projects as well as save the people from traffic and other problems. He said that attention was also being paid to the implementation of development projects in Rawalpindi, Multan, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Bahawalpur and other cities and development activities would soon start in these areas.