Lillah-Jhelum carriageway to complete by March 2023

PM orders funds for project be allocated from Punjab uplift budget

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday ordered the completion of Lillah-Jhelum dual carriageway by March 2023.

He directed the authorities concerned to finish the phase one of the project — Lillah Interchange to Pind Dadan Khan and the second phase – Misri Morr to Bukhari Chowk by June this year.

He instructed that funds for the project be allocated from Punjab’s development budget.

The prime minister issued these directions during a special meeting on Punjab’s development budget during his visit to Lahore.

He was given a detailed briefing on the project and also informed about progress made so far.

The prime minister was informed that work on the project was in full swing and would be completed within the stipulated time.

The premier expressed his satisfaction over the progress made on the project.

He also appreciated the efforts of Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry for giving practical shape to the project.

Fawad expressed his gratitude to PM Imran and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar for allocating funds for the Dual Carriageway from the Punjab development budget and taking special interest in the scheme.

In November last year, PM Imran had performed the ground-breaking of 128-kilometer long dual carriageway to improve the road infrastructure network in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab CM Buzdar had said the carriageway would be completed at a cost of Rs4.64 billion.

He said it would link Grand Trunk Road to Motorway and bring economic development as well as create jobs in the area.

In his address, Fawad had said the completion of Lillah-Jhelum dual carriageway would help change the destiny of Jhelum, besides providing prompt connection to Kashmir with motorway.

“The economy of Jhelum and adjacent areas would entirely change after the completion of the dual carriageway,” he added.

The thoroughfare would provide prompt connectivity to motorway to the motorists of Kashmir, thus saving their time.

Currently, the people of Kashmir have to join motorway from Lahore or Rawalpindi for onward journey to Karachi and other areas of the country.

He had said the extension of Sialkot motorway to Rawalpindi would benefit people of Chakwal, Jhelum, Mirpur and Gujrat and above all Islamabad.

The green areas in Islamabad were fast depleting, the Lillah-Jhelum dual carriageway would provide a vast area adjacent to Islamabad.

Virtually, the areas of Jhelum would become suburban areas of the federal capital.

Castigating past governments, he had said huge commissions were demanded for launching various road network projects, besides providing benefits to near and dear ones.

The cost of roads being constructed in 2021 was even half as compared with those built in 2017.

The project would help promote tourism, facilitate farm to market supply, increase employment opportunities and lead to economic progress.

(With input from APP)