Govt realigns uplift priorities

After development in underprivileged areas, especially South Punjab, the provincial government has shifted its focus to urban centres ahead of the general elections scheduled in 2023.

During initial years, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had hardly initiated any mega infrastructure project in central Punjab or any urban centre of the province. The entire focus of the provincial government was on South Punjab and thousands of big and small development schemes were initiated and completed in underprivileged areas.

A separate secretariat has been established for which construction of a new building in Multan is under way and expected to be completed by August 2023. In addition, a 400-kanal piece of land has been allocated for the South Punjab Secretariat building in Bahawalpur.

Official statistics highlight that out of total 1,541 development projects, as many 1,441 were approved and work orders for 87 per cent of the schemes were issued for 11 districts of South Punjab. Out of total Rs189 billon budget, almost 50% has already been spent on various schemes of South Punjab.

Now after three years in power, the government appears to have shifted its focus towards central Punjab, especially Lahore, to showcase projects in upcoming general elections.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar recently announced a Rs50 billion elevated expressway project from Gulberg to M2 Motorway and new multilevel entry and exit points at Shahdara Morr with an estimated cost of Rs6.5 billon. A plan for an additional lane at Lahore Bridge, Data Ganj Bakhsh Flyover at a cost of Rs4.9 billion and Shahkam Flyover project with an estimated cost of Rs2.54 billion were also announced.

The government has also approved a 5km signal-free corridor project from Center Point in Gulberg to Defence Morr on Walton Road to improve the traffic flow in the city with the estimated cost of Rs2.8 billion. Expansion of Sagian Road at an estimated cost of Rs3.4 billion and an underpass and flyover at Karim Block in Allama Iqbal Town with expenses of Rs2.9 billon have also been approved.

The government has also announced a new eco-friendly public transport feeder bus system for Lahore.

Chief Minister Buzdar on Wednesday gave approval in principle to a proposal to run 100 feeder buses in Lahore in the first phase. He issued directives to increase the number of buses to accommodate the rising number of daily commuters.

He also announced better transport facilities for Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and other cities, declaring that eco-friendly buses would also help to overcome smog. “Improving the public transport facilities is the need of the hour as it would help to reduce environmental pollution,” he underlined.

The CM also sought a report about a modern bus stand project at Thokhar Niaz Beg and ordered its early completion to help reduce traffic congestion and pollution. The chief minister pointed said the Orange Line Metro Train project was also completed by the incumbent government by arranging necessary funding like other incomplete projects of the previous government. He said the previous government conceived projects without caring for the welfare of the people and subsidies to the tune of billions of rupees had to be given to run them.

The public transport schemes should have been finalised after proper study and a large amount was being spent on six projects as subsidies, including the Orange Line Metro Train, Metro Bus System and feeder route system, he further said and pointed out the income of the projects was minimal.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2021.