Rs84m allocated for restoration of public parks, green belts

PHA has floated tenders to complete development work during the current fiscal year

LAHORE: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has invited bids to execute Rs84.043 million development schemes including restoration and renovation of five public parks and green belts in low income neighbourhoods of the provincial capital.

Documents made available to The Express Tribune indicate the authority has decided to develop a new cricket field and renovation of existing public parks and green belts in NA-119, the constituency of MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif and PP-141 MPA Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman.



The PHA has already invited bids to execute Rs84.043 million development schemes. These projects also include renovation of five public parks and green belts in low income neighbourhoods of Lahore. The authority has planned to develop Lorry Adda Wali Park with an estimated cost of Rs10.472 million, Shadbagh Goal Bagh Rs7.044 million and Tajpura Ground Rs7.426 million.

The PHA has also planned to develop green belts along Triple Road Shadbagh and Wasanpura with an estimated cost of Rs24.583 million and Rs22.614 million respectively. The authority will also develop a cricket field and allied facilities in Government Basri College for Women with an estimated cost of Rs11.904 million.

PHA Director General Mian Shakeel Ahmad said the authority has initiated process to start development projects in major public parks in Shadbagh and in its vicinity.

“Infrastructure in these parks has deteriorated over the years and needed maintenance. The authority had already floated tenders to complete development work during the current fiscal year,” he said.



“Most likely the development work will start by the end of March and completed in two months,” Shakeel remarked.

Shadbagh is one of the oldest neighbourhoods of the provincial capital that was planned in 1930s. It is one of the most planned residential colonies covering around 1,915 acres besides other well-planned neighbourhoods like Mayo Gardens and Model Town that was planned in 1924.

However, population bust, rapid urbanisation and commercialisation have entirely changed the face of this most modern residential colony of the past which had been the home to city’s elite. Shadbagh Goal Bagh is the most popular and the biggest public park in the whole area providing recreation facilities to the residents of Badami Bagh, Wassanpura, Chah Miran, Bhagat Pura, Data Nagar and adjoining areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2017.