Lakhodair vegetable market still a dream

Initiated eight years ago, Punjab’s first state-of-the-art vegetable and fruit market project remains a distant dream. Not only that, the cost of the project has soared significantly due to the delay.

According to initial estimates the project was expected to cost Rs. 6billion. However, the delay has pushed that price tag over Rs. 24billion, which is Rs. 18billion more than the original estimate in 2013.

Details gathered by the Express Tribune show that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide two-thirds of the total amount as a loan, while the Punjab government will pitch in the remaining cost of the project.

Unveiled by former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, the vegetable and fruit market project at Lakhodairwas to be built on 130 acres of land. Officials familiar with the development said 70 acres of additional land was to be purchased later, but that plan did not materialize due to lack of funds.

“Due to lack of funding by the government, the purchase of additional land was postponed,” said one official.

In 2015, the project consultant mapped out the construction of the market, according to which 1,488 commission agent shops and 1,736 cold stores, auction platforms and other buildings were to be constructed in the market at a price tag of Rs. 7billion.

This map, the official said, was approved by all government departments and its PC-1 was also prepared. However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial administration abandoned it for a new e-auction market.

After much deliberation, the government, in collaboration with the ADB has taken steps to prepare a new plan for the construction of the market. The cost, officials said, has soared. Sources said the ADB is expected to provide $100 million for the project. The remaining amount will be provided by the Punjab government.

Other preparations

In a bid to make movement of goods easy around the Lakhodair Mandi, the Lahore Ring Road Authority (LRRA) has informed the provincial government that it will complete the construction of a new interchange on Ring Road and expand the service lane within the allotted budget. This will allow the uninterrupted movement of freight vehicles.

Audit

The Punjab’s Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) has decided to conduct the operational audit of the market committees. The move is aimed at stabilizing prices across the province. Special instructions have also been given by the body to improve the auction system at all market committees.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2021.