Smooth functioning: A Rs2.1b boost for infrastructure

Water, sanitation get major chunk; Rs600m earmarked for a 100-bed hospital

LAHORE: Lahore city has got approved a kitty of Rs2.1 billion for ending its water and sanitation woes and building a 100-bed hospital as well. Punjab’s Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) has set aside the money for supplying potable water, building sewers and a tehsil-level hospital in the city.

The PDWP had earlier approved nine development schemes of Rs5.5 billion, of which Rs1.5 billion had been earmarked for three water and sanitation schemes. Another Rs600 million were earmarked for a tehsil-level hospital.

A spokesperson of Punjab Planning and Development Department said Rs500 million were for the provision of potable water, building a sewerage system and cementing the ground in Sabzazar and its adjoining neighbourhoods.

Another Rs494 million have been allocated for Islampura and areas nearby and Rs500 million for Shimla Pahari and its connected areas. The PDWP has set aside Rs599 million for the establishment of the 100-bed hospital in Manawan (Rakh Chabil) on GT Road, Lahore.

With gravel and tar

The spokesperson said PDWP had allocated Rs631 million for construction and repair of the road from Sultanpur Bungalow to Noorewala Bungalow via Vigh Langarwala Pull in Jallah Bala Sahiba Bungalow in Awan Wala area along Ghazni Rajbah, Sargodha. It also approved an amount for reconstruction of the 42-kilometre dual road from Sargodha to Makhdoom Interchange M-2.

Moreover, money has also been earmarked for the widening of the 33-kilometre road from Pandorian M-3 Interchange to Shahkot via Sangla Hill. The restoration of the 17-kilometre Nankana-Mangtanwala Road was also planned and Rs426.8 million approved for it.

An amount of Rs423.334 million was approved to improve the state of the 21.6-kilometre road from Kotla Arab Ali Khan to Kharian, Gujrat. These schemes were approved in the meeting of PDWP for the current fiscal year 2016-17.

The meeting was presided over by the Punjab Planning and Development Department Board Chairperson Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan. Planning and Development Department Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, members of the planning and development board, provincial secretaries concerned and other senior representatives of the relevant provincial departments also attended the meeting.

In a previous meeting, PDWP had approved Rs650 million for replacement of 45 tube wells installed by Water and Sanitation Agency in different areas of the provincial metropolis. Another  Rs771 million were set aside for the provision of potable water, building a sewerage system and cementing the ground in Gunj Bazaar, Gulistan Colony and its adjoining area and Rs408 million for Chohan Colony, Singhpura and its neighbouring areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2016.