Punjab CM seeks erecting 'tallest flagpole'

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has announced that the tallest flagpole will be erected in Lahore, but noted that funds for the purpose would come from the private sector and that not from the provincial exchequer.

The chief minister’s remarks came in the wake of rumours that authorities had started working on a project to construct the 500 feet tall flagpole at Liberty roundabout in the provincial capital which would cost the government around Rs400 million.

Naqvi, while talking to The Express Tribune, clarified that the government wanted the flagpole to be 600 feet tall – making it the tallest – and noted that “not a single penny would be spent on it from the government’s accounts”.

The financing of the project is being sourced from the private sector, the chief minister explained, adding that if they receive commitments on time, the ground breaking will be performed on August 14.

In case otherwise, the ground breaking will be done at any other suitable time, he added.
Naqvi further maintained that the plan would not cost Rs400 million as estimated by the government, but said, rather half of the stated amount will be spent on it as the private sector would undertaking it.

He said the project will be completed in four months.

He further noted that the project would contain all its frills, including the flag and the podium at the Liberty roundabout.

As the chief minister remained upbeat about the project, the government deemed it a wasteful exercise.
According to an official having direct information about the project, the idea conceived by the caretaker government to construct the tallest flagpole had earlier landed with the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA).

The body worked for a short time on how to materialise the “ambitious goal” of the government. He said the biggest hurdle apart from funds which would come from the government was the inability of the PHA to undertake this “mammoth task”.

He said the project on paper included 500 feet tall flagpole, a sizable podium, dancing fountains, landscaping (hard and soft) and a sitting place.

The official observed that Liberty did not have much space available for the entire project, which was why green area would also be utilised for it.

He noted that the area would be crammed if the entire construction related to the project took place there, adding that it would pose hazard for the pedestrians.

He mentioned that the PHA did not have enough funds to undertake the project, and that the body had constructed a 200 feet tall flagpole at Jilani Park last year, which to this day it “regretted”, terming it a “useless project”.

He said DG PHA had communicated the authority’s position before the government, adding that to his knowledge, PHA was not working on the tallest flagpole project.

A senior official maintained that the leaders wanted to leave some construction to be remembered in the history books, just like mogul emperors.

Constructing something in the centre of the road is downright dangerous, and is a wasteful exercise, he said.

“If an accident happens, who is to be blamed? What is chief minister saab planning to achieve with this? India is closer than ever to landing on moon and we are still hung on these petty short-sighted projects, and counting them as our achievements.”

Punjab Information Secretary Ali Nawaz Malik termed the project a complete package, noting that it would also serve as a tourist attraction.

He, however, said that to his knowledge, there was a stay on this project.

The world’s tallest flagpole is in Cairo Egypt, which is 662.57 feet tall while the second tallest in Krestovsky Island Saint Petersburg, which is 589 feet tall.