Signal-free corridor likely to be completed this week

The project was earlier scheduled to be ready by Feb 15

LAHORE: The signal-free corridor between Qurtaba Chowk on Jail Road and Liberty Roundabout on Gulberg’s Main Boulevard is likely to be completed this week.

“The flyover at Fowara Chowk, in front of the Siddiq Trade Centre, has been built and ready to be opened for traffic… but we want to wait for a few days to avoid cracks in joints along the curved portion of the bridge,” Habib Construction Services (HCS) Chief Executive Officer Shahid Saleem told The Express Tribune. Earlier, it was announced that the flyover would be opened on February 15.



The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) is giving final touches to horticulture works along the corridor.

PHA Director General Shakeel Ahmad said the authority had completed most of plantation and horticulture tasks, including redesigning of China Chowk roundabout. The remaining work would be completed in the next couple of days, except along the Liberty Roundabout, Ahmad said.

“Liberty Roundabout is a separate project. The authority is renovating the baradari and carrying out new landscaping. It will take another two to three weeks,” he said. Ahmad said the PHA had spent nearly Rs12 million on redesigning and beautification of the corridor.

The cost of project, initially estimated at Rs1.5 billion, has swelled to Rs1.8 billion with the addition of the flyover. The contractor has already missed two deadlines and blamed the delay on a stay order issued by Lahore High Court and the addition of the flyover to the original plan.



The 7.6-kilometre corridor includes underpasses at Shadman Chowk and Fowara No 1 Chowk T-Junction near Siddique Trade Centre. Seven traffic signals on Jail Road and the Gulberg’s Main Boulevard have been removed. The project includes re-modelling of the Main Boulevard and reconstruction of Jail Road from Sherpao Bridge to Qurtaba Chowk.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2016.