Balanced uplift govt’s policy: CM

LAHORE:Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the signal-free Shahkam Chowk flyover project valuing Rs4.23 billion, to ease the movement of 1.25 lakh vehicles daily. The project will be completed in 10 months while Rs395 million were saved in land acquisition and transparent tendering.

Under the project, a 6-km long Defence Road would be dualised along with the construction of two small bridges each at the Hudiara Drain and canal.Addressing the ceremony, the CM gave the credit of the composite development process to PM Imran Khan, adding the Punjab government was following the policy of balanced development. He vowed that everyone would be given the right of development along with equitable access to healthcare and education facilities. He said the government had started development schemes in neglected areas.

Shahkam Chowk is a central point to connect different areas of the city, he said adding the government had completed projects, including the Lal Shahbaz Qalandar underpass, entrance point at Thokar Niaz Baig, a pedestrian bridge at Jinnah Hospital and construction of an underground water tank for rainwater. A turbo roundabout would be built at Shahdara Chowk to address traffic problem. Work on Sheranwala gate flyover and Ferozepur Road Gulab Devi underpass projects is in progress while another underpass will be constructed at Samanabad Chowk, he said. Three parking plazas were being assembled at Sheranwala Gate, Masti Gate and Ek Moriya Pul to park more than 1,000 vehicles.

The previous government launched projects, excluding the Orange Train project, valuing Rs67 billion in City during the third year of its tenure while the PTI government devised development schemes worth Rs85 billion for Lahore in its third year. A mother and child block would be completed with Rs7 billion at Ganga Ram Hospital, he added.

The CM announced that a new general hospital would be built at a cost of Rs14 billion and a surface water treatment plant would be established at Mehmood Booti, Shahdara and Shad Bagh with Rs10 billion. Another surface water treatment plant was being set up at the BRB Canal.

He said that work was in progress on the water disposal project from Larechs Colony to Gulshan-e-Ravi, rehabilitation of historical heritage at Lahore Fort and Dilkash Lahore project. A tower facility will be constructed near the high court for the legal fraternity and phase-II of MPAs’ hostel will be completed with Rs3.44 billion. A water supply project for three major UCs in City will be completed with Rs1.65b, he said and disclosed that a project was devised to relocate markets around Ring Road for maintaining traffic flow.

Sarwar: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar on Tuesday said that development and stability of the country was top priority of the government, adding practical steps were being taken for the prosperity of the country.

The governor hailed the fullest cooperation from Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in the successful completion of clean drinking water projects across the province under Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority. During a meeting with Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar who called on him at the Governor’s House Tuesday, he said work on 1,500 potable water projects in Punjab was in full swing without any political discrimination and all these projects would be completed by December 2021. Arrangements pertaining to PM’s upcoming visit to the provincial metropolis and other matters came under discussion during the meeting. It was also decided to expedite work on the clean drinking water projects of Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority. The governor said that clean drinking water would be provided to more than eight million people and the promise to provide clean drinking water to the people of Punjab would be fulfilled.