Greener cities: CM seeks more green spaces

Greenbelts to be cultivated along railway track from Shahdara to Raiwind

LAHORE: A comprehensive plan will be evolved soon for developing horticulture along the route of Orange Line Metro Train project, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday.

He was presiding over a meeting for developing horticulture in major cities. The meeting approved the construction of a cultural pavilion at Dera Gujjaran near Ring Road.

“The government will use horticulture to make all development projects beautiful and attractive. A comprehensive plan of horticulture should be evolved along the route of Orange Line Metro Train project. The proposal for developing greenbelts along the railway track from Shahdara to Raiwind should also be considered,” he said.

The CM said that greenbelts should be developed alongside all roads where suitable space was available.

He said that a plan regarding horticulture around roads on both sides of drains should also be evolved. “The horticulture scheme along the LOS drain should be replicated in this regard,” he said. The chief minister said that the work to identify land for setting up a forest park in Lahore should completed at the earliest.

“Land should also be identified for setting up forest parks in other major cities of the province. Plans should be drawn for constructing cultural pavilions in these cities. Along major roads, the work for beautifying walls of public and private buildings through horticulture should be expedited,” he said.

The chief minister said that a comprehensive plan should be presented for setting up picnic points and places of recreational facilities for children on both sides of the canal from Thokar Niaz Baig to Jallo.

Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that the Punjab government was taking steps to promote horticulture in the province. “The Railways Department will fully cooperate with the government for developing greenbelts along the railway track from Shahdara to Raiwind,” he said.

Khawaja Ahmed Hassaan, the forests secretary, the Parks and Horticulture Authority Vice Chairman Iftikhar Ahmed, the Lahore commissioner, the PHA director general, the WASA managing director, the LESCO chief executive officer and the NESPAK managing director attended the meeting.

Civic amenities: The chief minister presided over a meeting on Saturday to discuss various proposals for improving civic amenities in major cities.

He said that a practicable plan should be presented to improve parking, removing encroachments and expanding the scope of model carts. He directed officials to constitute a committee to submit recommendations within 15 days. He said that the committee should evolve and present short, medium and long-term plans.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2016.