Elevated Expressway

Lahore has been transformed into a mega city during the past few decades as a result of rapid urbanisation. With the availability of personal vehicles and development of infrastructure like the Motorway, everyone wants to get to his destination as quickly as possible. Traffic going to north or coming from that side to Lahore via GT Road has been using Ravi Toll Plaza till a few years ago. Now Canal Road, has been serving as the single entry point into the city. Thus long queues of vehicles are a regular scene to be witnessed at this sole entry point of Lahore. Construction of Lahore-Multan Motorway which will join the existing Lahore-Islamabad Motorway is almost complete. Vehicles coming through the new Motorway will also add to the already unbearable pressure on Lahore Canal Road. This has necessitated the provision of an additional route.

The construction of Elevated Expressway from Gulberg to Motorway-M2 is a viable solution to this problem. The alignment of Elevated Expressway has been planned in such a manner that it will pass through the congested localities of the city and also link major city roads like main Boulevard, Gulberg, Jail Road, Canal Road, Ferozepur Road, Multan Road and Bund Road. For the construction of Elevated Expressway, right of way (R.O.W) of existing drain will be utilised and private land will only be acquired where it is unavoidable. A sum of around Rs3.5 billion is being disbursed for the acquisition of land for this project. The land owners will be paid displacement charges and business loss as compensation. Parks and Horticultural Authority (PHA) has made arrangements for the transplantation of trees that will be uprooted during execution of this project.

Muhammad Sohail Janjua

Director, LDA

Lahore