LAHORE: All the signal-free corridors and other projects constructed by Lahore Development Authority (LDA) to resolve issues of traffic jams failed to give the desired results during the year 2017 following which citizens spent precious time in long queues on signal-free corridors.
The government departments concerned contend the city is undergoing a phase of transition as many development initiatives — from road infrastructure to clean water provision — are in the process of completion. The issues would be resolved once the ongoing initiatives are materialised, they added.
The signal-free project on Jail Road, which added two new underpasses in the city i.e. one at Fawara Chowk and the other at Shadman Chowk, also turned out to be a big failure as it remained one of the most crowded road witnessing hours long traffic jams irking the citizens.
Elevated U-Turns, Walton Overhead and Biker’s Ring on Ferozpur Road between Qainchi till Chungi Amar Sadhu also failed in keeping the vehicles on wheels and traffic rush remained a daily issue for the commuters travelling on Ferozpur Road.
Recently inaugurated Beijing Underpass at Chubacha Phatak on Canal Bank Road, completion of Southern Loop of Ring Road, inauguration of underpass at Gulberg and widening of Canal Bank Road were some of the big achievements of the Punjab government. Construction work also resumed on Orange Line Train Project after a delay of almost 18 months.
In 2017, availability of safe drinking water in majority of the city areas remained a dream for the citizens and can be placed on top of the major incomplete tasks. Disposal of hospital and solid waste in a scientific manner also remained a big challenge for the government and during the year only a PC1 was made to tackle this issue.
Rapid illegal commercialisation and unplanned urbanisation continued in the city posing a serious question mark on the working, integrity and role of Lahore Development Authority (LDA). Hundreds of marriage halls, marquees and commercial buildings had been constructed across the city without any approved building plans.
Interestingly, Lahore Development Authority was so helpless in taking action against illegal commercialisation that even it can’t shut down a restaurant opened without any approval just opposite LDA’s headquarters in Johar Town. Repeated drives against illegal commercial buildings and housing societies were launched during the year seemed an eye-wash.
However, LDA in the end of the year announced discontinuation of its ongoing policy of annual/temporary commercialisation and issued notices to hundreds of citizens who had turned residential buildings into commercial on 18 main city roads, including Tollinton Market Road (LOS Chowk to Jail Road Junction), Zafar Ali Road (Gulberg V), Campus Bridge Road, Garden Town (Canal Bridge to Y Junction), Shah Jillani Road (College Road Township till Hamdard Jail Road), Khayaban-e-Jinnah (Shaukat Khannam to Raiwind Road), Canal Bank Road (from district boundary Wagah to Thokar Niaz Beig), Canal Bank Road (From Thokar Niaz Beig to District Boundary), Main Boulevard, Sabzazaar Scheme (Fawara Chowk, Multan Road to Liaqat Chowk and Liaqat Chowk to Multan Road), Link Raiwind Road (Raiwind Road to Aitchison College Gate), Main Boulevard Johar Town/Khayaban-e-Firdousi (Maulana Shaukat Ali Road to Shaukat Khanam Hospital), Bypass Road Johar Town (Canal to Wapda Town roundabout), Wahdat Road (Naksha Stop plot 70 Block C New Muslim Town to Multan Road Chungi), Qazi Essa Road (Faisal Town), Raiwind Road (Thokar Niaz Beig to Defence Road Manu Chowk), Abu-ul-Hasan Isfahani Road (Faisal Town roundabout to Akbar Chowk except property No 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 Block B, Faisal Town), Maulana Shaukat Ali Road (Segment 2 starting from Model Town Link Road and ending at junction up to Railway crossing), Hamdard Jail Road (from Pindi Stop to Plot No 1222-5-D1) and Defence Road (Multan Road to Raiwind Road).
Presence of industrial clusters within the residential localities where one can easily find grave violations in building rules and no locality is an exception to such violations. Urban development emerged as a vital challenge during the year as the provincial capital is already facing the problems of uncontrolled population and rapid mass migration from other areas. This is resulting in unplanned establishment of residential areas, unavailability of civic facilities like broken roads, scattered solid waste, encroachments, lack of public transport and other missing important infrastructure.
During the year 2017, highly unhygienic, spurious and tainted milk continued to reach the city markets posing serious health hazards to the citizens especially children. PFA repeatedly admitted that chemicals like urea, caustic soda, refined oil especially used and cheap cooking oil and commonly used detergents are mixed into milk to increase its shelf life as well as to remove the traces of adulteration and hazardous chemicals. Detergents are added to emulsify and dissolve the oil into water, giving the frothy solution the characteristic white colour of milk. Refined oil is used as a substitute to milk fat. Caustic soda is added to milk to neutralise the effect of increased acidity, thereby preventing it from turning sour during transport. Urea/sugar is added for levelling the contents of solid-not-fat (SNF) as are present in the natural milk.
Other than a few roads like The Mall, Jail Road, airport Road, roads in cantonment and Defence areas, Ferozpur Road, Canal Bank Road and some others which are well-maintained due to VVIP movement, others tell a story of neglect and apathy of administration. It is not only roads but also bridges which remained in a state of neglect during the year, kept posing serious threats to vehicle owners and other road users.
For the next year, LDA approved a budget amounting to Rs57.96 billion for the fiscal year 2017-18 and announced several new schemes, including remodeling of junctions and U-turns at Maulana Shoukat Ali Road, Khayaban-e-Firdousi and Khyban-e-Jinnah. In the budget, LDA allocated a sum of Rs1.40 billion for construction of different buildings, including Rs800 million for construction of a new LDA office building at Johar Town, Rs100 million for office at LDA Avenue-I and Rs150 million for additional construction work at Park & Shop Plaza, Moon Market, Allama Iqbal Town.
LDA has also announced construction of Twin Towers Project along Jail Road, a new underpass at Shahkam Chowk, Defence Road and a flyover at Shaukat Khanam Chowk. Construction of “Arena”, a project including an entertainment park, commercial area and food court at Johar Town was also started during the year.
Several projects of road development, construction of new roads and other development projects were also announced for 2018, including approach road from Burki Road to Ashiyana Iqbal, widening and improvement of Bedian Road, Burki Road and adjoining approach roads, a new link road for joining Lahore-Multan Motorway to Multan Road, structure plan road from Expo Centre to Bahria Town/Ring Road (Parallel to Canal Bank Road), structure plan road from Expo Centre to Khayaban-e-Jinnah, sewerage, drainage & ground water management system for Sheikhupura, Kasur & Nankana districts and establishment of 12 sports complex in different constituencies of national assembly.