PU, city govt start road talks

University could get land swap or commercial rights as compensation.

LAHORE:

Punjab University (PU) and city government officials met on Monday to discuss the construction of a road bisecting the university’s New Campus to improve traffic flow in the region.

Sources on both sides said that a deal was likely for the construction of a two-kilometre road from Wahdat Road to the intersection of Canal Bank Road and Maulana Shaukat Ali Road. The Punjab University would be compensated with money or land elsewhere. The road was first mooted in 2006, but the PU Syndicate has repeatedly rejected the proposal, most recently in March 2011.

Lahore Commissioner Jawad Rafique Malik and Lahore Roads Rehabilitation Project Chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan met with members of the newly elected PU Syndicate including Dr Shaukat Ali, Shumaila Gul, Resident Officer 1 Javed Sami, RO-2 Malik Zaheer and Vice Chancellor Mujahid Kamran on Monday.

The Syndicate members asked the city government officials to present a formal project proposal to them at their next meeting on Thursday.

Commissioner Malik said the city government would present the same plan that was proposed in March 2011. “The basic proposal is for a two-kilometre dual carriageway from Wahdat Road to Canal Road,” he said. The road could be constructed slightly below ground level and with greenery planted all along to ensure it fit in with the campus environment, he said.

The commissioner said that the road would cost about Rs800 million to build. When it was first proposed in 2006, the estimated cost was Rs350 million. In last year’s proposal, it was Rs650 million. “The construction cost has increased because the prices of construction materials have soared,” he said.

He said that he was optimistic that the PU Syndicate would allow the city district government to acquire the land for the road.

Hassaan said that the road was needed to reduce traffic congestion on Wahdat Road and Canal Bank Road. “The ball is now in Punjab University’s court,” he said.

He said that PU could be compensated with land elsewhere, or it could be allowed to build commercial properties along the road to generate revenue. “The modalities of the acquisition depend entirely on the PU,” he added.

RO-1 Javed Sami said it would be premature to discuss the proposal. “This was just the first meeting” he said. “We will not decide anything without taking all professors on board.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2012.