Pervaiz approves Rs160bn ‘SIEN’ project for 7 districts

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has announced the biggest historic project of development of Punjab from Sutlej to Sindh on Monday.

The Sutlej Indus Economic Network (SIEN) Project worth Rs160 billion has been approved for Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran, Bahawalpur. These districts will be connected with motorways, GT roads and Indus Highway.

The CM said that a new chapter of development and prosperity will open for farmers, traders, industrialists and investors. A wonderful plan has been devised to connect different cities with the motorway and the project will also generate millions of dollars. The project would be completed in different phases.

While giving details, the CM explained that in the first phase, the Kasur bypass to Lahore Ring Road G-1 SIEN Corridor will be completed with Rs.15 billion. Seven remote districts of Punjab will be connected with M-2, M-3, M-4, M-5 and M-11 motorways. The CM said that access to 49% of commodity-producing markets will be improved through highways. 3431 industrial units of food, agriculture and metal products will be promoted in these districts as business activities in 9 towns and small towns will be increased.

Pervaiz Elahi said that the North-South Corridor will connect Depalpur, Pakpattan, Vehari, Multan Road, Head Sulemanki Minchinabad, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar Road. Changara East Interchange will be connected up to Bahawalpur N-5, he added.

Meanwhile, Hasilpur will be connected with Rajana Motorway M-3 through Vehari, Burewala and Chichhwatani. Chishtian to Burewala and Sahiwal to Samundri link road will be built, he said. Bahawalnagar to Sahiwal will be connected with M-3 Motorway via Arifwala. SIEN Corridor will also be constructed from Minchinabad to Sahiwal via Pakpattan.

Due to the development and creation of employment opportunities in the backward and remote districts, the pressure on the big cities will be reduced, he noted. Allahabad will be connected to the Jaranwala Interchange M-3 Motorway through Chunian, Pattoki and Halla. Sharqpur Interchange M-3 Motorway will be connected with Raiwind Road Ring Road. The establishment of specialized potato machinery centers in Pakpattan and Okara will provide economic benefits to potato farmers. By installing solar dryers and color sorters in Bahawalnagar, red chilli farmers will be able to get a better price for the crop. Vehari Industrial Estate will be converted into Agro-Industrial Park. Economic activities will increase in Kasur Small Industrial Estate and Dry Port. He said that a multi-modal freight terminal will be established in Pakpattan. Agro-industrial parks will be established in Bahawalnagar and Okara, he added.

A meeting was held in the Chief Minister's Office under the chair of Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, in which the "SIEN" project was approved. Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sumbal, former federal secretary and Chairman of Planning and Development Board Salman Ghani, Secretary C&W, Secretary Planning and Development, Secretary Transport, Secretary Finance, Senior Specialist Economics Urban Unit and others attended the meeting.

CM condoles: Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives in a traffic accident near Rajanpur. The CM extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and called for a report from the administration. He directed that legal action be taken against the driver responsible for the accident.