CM breaks ground for Kalma Chowk flyover

Orders completion by August 13; series of underpasses also in the pipeline.

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to complete the construction of the Kalma Chowk flyover by August 13, 2011.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the project, Sharif said that he hoped to inaugurate the flyover on August 14 this year. “In the first phase the flyover will be completed. Later, work on several underpasses will kick off,” he said. The contract for construction work on Kalma Chowk has been awarded to the Sub Project Management Unit of the C&W department. The estimated cost of the project is Rs2.3 billion. The length of the flyover is estimated at 660meters and the width at 10.7 metres.

Earlier, briefing the CM , C&W secretary Azam Salman said that the department would try its best to complete the project within the stipulated time and budget. He said that the design speed of the flyover was 60 km/h and that it would be a 3 lane structure. He said that there will be a 10m special corridor for Bus Rapid Transportation System (BRTS).

“During the first phase work will begin from the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) grid station on Ferozepur Road. Next, it will move to Gulberg’s Main Boulevard section from Kalma Chowk to Qasr-e-Noor banquet hall,” he said, that work will only begin after one side had been completed. “Constructing the flyover in separate phases will help us minimise disruption of traffic,” he added.

Salman said that the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) had altered the flyover design in view of the traffic situation. He said that as many as 1 million commuters crossed the square daily and over 396,044 vehicles were recorded passing through the area on a daily basis. Salman said that 61 per cent of the traffic crossed the square along Ferozepur Road.

He said that a 1.2 km section of the road bisecting Gadaffi Stadium and the football stadium would be used as an alternative route to cross traffic. “Most of the traffic will be re-directed towards Centre Point. The ponds at Centre Point will be demolished to ease the traffic,” he said.

The C&W representative said that the road along plant nurseries located on Main Boulevard Gulburg will also be used as a diversion. Salman said that traffic police will be deputed along these routes and one deputy superintendent of police (DSP) along with 100 wardens will handle traffic in three different shifts throughout the day.

Salman said that talks with Lesco are about to conclude to relocate its 132 KVA line with 10 poles and another 11KVA line with 80 poles in the area. “All petrol pumps located along these routes have already been issued notices to vacate the land,” he said.

Salman said that the project was scheduled to be completed in 18 months but due to the CM’s instructions it had been rescheduled for completion within eight months. Salman said that work on the project will start within 14 days and during this time all alternate routs will be rehabilitated to avoid the traffic jams during the construction phase.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2011.