Kalma Chowk: ‘To Lahore, happy Independence Day’
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the Kalma Chowk flyover on Ferozepur Road yesterday and declared it an Independence Day “gift to the citizens of Lahore”.
Speaking at the inauguration, the chief minister congratulated engineers for finishing the “landmark” bridge in a “record” 135 days. He said if all government departments were as dedicated and hardworking as the team that built the bridge, Pakistan would soon overcome its economic problems.
He announced that workers involved in the project would be given bonuses totalling Rs1.5 million, while he presented shirts and ties to the communication and works secretary, project manager, chief engineer, National Logistics Cell heads and the director general of the Parks and Horticulture Authority as gifts.
Sharif also inaugurated construction work on an underpass between Gulberg’s Main Boulevard and Garden Town beneath the new flyover and told the Communication and Works Department to finish it in three months. The design and feasibility study for the 550-metre, three-lane underpass at Kalma Chowk has been prepared and it is projected to cost about Rs972 million.
Plans have also been prepared for a 500-metre underpass at the Model Town crossing on Ferozepur Road, close to the new flyover. The two-lane underpass is projected to cost Rs350 million. Workers will begin construction once the Kalma Chowk underpass is finished. It is expected to benefit 46,047 vehicles that enter and exit Model Town every day.
The chief minister also spoke at a flag-hoisting ceremony at Hazoori Bagh in the morning.
Nawaz vows to fight PPP govt
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif vowed on Sunday to fight against the present Pakistan Peoples Party government for its failure to address the country’s crises.
He was speaking at a flag hoisting ceremony at the Hazoori Bagh, Lahore Fort, to mark the Independence Day.
He said, “I, Nawaz Sharif, promise to protect the ideology of the Pakistan and to fulfill the dream of freedom fighters. I will fight against corruption, injustice and extremism and struggle for rule of law. I will defend the country and will not hesitate to give any sacrifice to defend democracy and to oppose military dictatorships.”
Sharif also took an oath from party members to support him in his fight against the incumbent government.
He said the then leaders of the Muslim League had fulfilled a pledge they had made to the Muslims of India in 1940 and achieved Pakistan. The current PML-N leadership would also fulfill its vow to rid the country of unemployment, energy shortage, corruption, nepotism and poor law and order.
He said democracy had been restored in 2008 after a long struggle that forced general (retd) Pervez Musharraf to leave the country.
He added that so far the democratic setup had only brought humiliation to the people.
“Pakistan was not meant to be another underdeveloped country,” Sharif said.
Elsewhere, the All Pakistan Muslim League arranged an event to mark August 14 and Pervez Musharraf’s birthday, where US consul general Carmela Conroy cut a cake.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2011.
COMMENTS (39)
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@SHARIQ: Are you claiming there are no bridges outside Lahore? No construction is taking place in other parts of Pakistan?
@SHARIQ: Open your eyes shariq no one bridge u travel to road of lahore or punjab many development work are under progress U can also compare with other provinces where government party rules u criticise them not to criticise where some work are done i dont say its 100 percent but some thing better then nothing.One important thing after exile of sharif brother they come with clean politics lets give them one chance again
What has Zardari Bhutto and PPP (Pakistan plunder Party) done? except from mr. 10% he is now mr. 100%
Well let me say few words to all of the respectable persons here. M working as an engineer here at Kalma chowk project. and u all will b suprised to know, that our team ( NLC & NESPAK) worked 24/7 & did its best to construct this flyover... instead of appreciating our efforts that we did a great job in just 135 days, n tried to make it a world record, few among of u narrow minded Ppl just blaming us about quality and Patch work.. The jail road had also been constructed by the NLC & u all still having a smooth ride at this road...Let me tell u, we are responsible for the maintainence of this flyover, and inshaAllah nothing will happen to this ... its been supervised by many departments & everybody had an eye on it... So think positively, and prove urslf a good citizen of Pakistan...
O' No" again Political regime we cannot afford every person deny the moment of the Independence day what and why. Really, we are are not sovereign country or people still hang up himself.. It's not a good think for country why. we are still stood a jam stop we are not knew where we gonna go.. At least as a nation we do some thing special for greater Pakistan, Pakistani society most people are not knew the right of single person what he do for himself...really confused. It's shamed for us as nation "Where we are going" or "We knew 'Where we wana go"""??
so many Question, need answer...I am also really confused..what I do..??
Good Job Shahbaz Shareef!! The Best CM Among All!
Only Punjab, Only Lahore Onle one Bridge What about rest of Pakistan - Celeberate Independance day of Taket-e-Lahore
@asim: so leave this country because you do not deserve to live here if you do not have faith in your doctors and engineers..... this bridge was designed by NESPAK and constructed by NLC...both the best in Pakistan....if you do not have faith in them then mind you....50% of communication works in Pakistan have been designed by them....!!!!!!!and working efficiently..... by the way the engineers who designed this bridge have already designed similar bridges roads and other facilities not only in Pakisatn but also in UAE, OMAN, KSA and Africa................ I am also one of the designers and I believe that people like you are responsible for loan mongering. debted, salve type nature of our governments....Our engineers and doctors can come up with the goods....just have faith in them..... if you are referring to a flyover collapse in Karachi that happened last year...then for your information that was designed by a less known highly connected consultant with less technical expertise....
@asim Aren't you scared of Sleeping on your bed at night, given the capability of Pakistani engineers as mentioned by you?
@kamran what abt the raymond davis issue i wonder how would you have felt if shumaila was ur sister the girl who committed sucide whose husbad was killed by raymond davis just because she knew the will not get justice from them. and the whole punjab govenment was involved in this
if you are such a big fan of sharif brothers what abt the attack on the supreme court which happened in the nawaz sharif era why did nawaz sharif with sartaj aziz the foreign minister at that time froze all the foreign investment in pakistan what abt alll the money which pakistanis gave in the karz utharo and mulk sawaro movement what abt all the money which was invested in yellow cab scheme and was totally wasted
open your eyes brother if they got two chances to mend thier country and they did nothing what will they do even if they get the third chance
all those of my brothers and sisters who are just happy to see one flyover built.
what about 1.education 2.health care 3.police which provide social security 4.employment
let me tell you that only one flyover is not the mark of progress the time of fake naraas are gone our education sector is at its lowest since pakistan was founded the government schools are either converted into dairy farms by influential people or totally abandoned. what about the health sector what about the police which are on the duty to protect vip
what abt the raymond davis issue who will give justice to that innocent girl shumaila who commited sucide becuase she knew that she won't get justice
how will you feel if shumaila was ur sister, daughter or wife.
The project engineers from NLC have been in the past reported as telling the CM that the construction deadlines will compromise the quality of the construction as the structural integrity of the bridge will have a colossal question mark over it. This bridge is ill built as the construction workers were forced to cut corners to complete it in "record time. But as always, who gives a damn?
kamran
After decades of spending huge amounts of money on this useless city what have we got to show for it? How many world class universities does it contain? How many high tech industries? All Lahore has to show for itself is plazas, beauty parlours, expensive restaurants etc etc. These extravagances of Lahore are going to lead to the break up of the Punjabi nation. It's time to end Lahore's party and move the capital somewhere else. Enough is enough.
@Ali: God knows whats the future you can wait till 6 month and then comments right know project is completed in its time and deliver to all jialas,matwalas, and all people of pakistan
@Frank: How can you say it useless its universal truth that infrastructure is the key of prosperity and progress of a country
Kamran, giving this useless city expensive infrastructure will not end poverty. On the contrary it is generating poverty, and also resentment. Lahore is like the daughter who bankrupts her parents in making her bride. Please wake before it's too late.
i can bet right after six months "Patch work" will start as it happend with ohter projects of FRAUD E AALA.
Shahbaz is a drama artist, he wants fame, hanging slates on half completed projects just to show fake swiftness.
Paying full amount to half cooked projects and then again invest money on patch work for remaining work. Great leader.
@Frank: poverty can not be ended by giving 1000 per person like benazir income support it should be finish by giving infrastructure facility to the people of punjab or pakistan
The people of Punjab are mired in poverty but Shahbaz Sharif gifts an overpass to Lahoris and promises them an even more expensive underpass soon. Absolutely disgusting. Right here, you have the reason the ancient nation of Punjab will soon be destroyed. I feel sick.
imran khan stop critcised to good leader and join the hand of Sharif brother you will achieve good administration under there supervision and not compare sharif brother with other as there is no major corruption case against them even they are in opposotion for last eight year please dount help enemies of pakistan by false criticism
Fawad Khan type people always try to divide nation As far as South Punjab is concerned Multan is a beautiful city with underpasses and parks and other things just like Rawalpindi or Faisalabad
The Kalma flyover did cost us rs.2 billions and it is likely to solve no traffic problem at all because of other closely located intersections but route between model town and hussin chowk camp offices of khadam reduced in distance and time.But the most important feature of this flyover is the cost incurred upon the horticulture done at the top.The design was changed n width of the flyover was compromised to accomodate the whim of the khaadam to place plants at the top in form of dead weight which is prohibited in such cases,only cost of plants in 1000 planters is...............rs.2 crore and 37 lacs.down with ashrafia n khaam n his luxurious whim at the cost of public exchequer zindabad
i salute Sharif brothers on deliverying pakistanis a great flyover right on time.
where is the flyover ...i dont see it in the picture?
The Chief Minister Pakhtunkhwa needs to learn some "development lessons" from CM Punjab. Not a single 3 foot road has been constructed in the last 3 years. Wakeup !!!
well done shahbaz sharif.congratulation to all workers who made it possible
@Fawad Khan...stop being an arm chair expert and repeat the same old Raja Riaz type propaganda here, TV is enough for that, because if you argue Lahore, I'll argue disparity in development between Karachi and say Larkana, Nawabshah and Mirpurkhas, and clearly this argument doesn't serve us any good!! While distribution of development wealth is a major issue, it is an issue all over Pakistan, it needs to be resolved by devising some sort of a mechanism, and while that happens, given the option of choosing development in Lahore versus no development at all (latter being the case in Sindh, KPK and Balochistan), I as a resident of this province will choose development. So appreciate the little development that takes place in this country, or else be content with what's Zardari, Gilani, Elahi, Wali and Co. is gifting Pakistan i.e. zero progress, mindless plundering of national wealth and now ethnic strife!
@Fawad Khan: Agree with you partially. But also keep in mind that Lahore is the economic hub of Punjab, other cities would prosper if this city prospers. The city has strong forward and backward linkages to the rest of Punjab as well as other provinces. Even if you look at it emotionally, Lahore caters to and provides for the workers and professionals of the entire province.
I congratulate Mian Shehbaz on completing this project in record time. He is a very hard working and honest leader. With completion of this project and other developments in Lahore, the chance to win any seat in Lahore for Imran Khan is now down to zero. @ Fawad Khan, Eighty percent of vehicles in Punjab use Lahore roads and bridges. Therefore spending more money in Lahore makes sense.
I am scared to drive over this bridge given the capability of Pakistani engineers.
@Fawad Khan: 40 Billion has been allocated for South Punjab!
So what about the rest of the Punjab? All the funds going to the seat only!!!