38 development schemes excluded from ADP 2024-25

Govt also excludes three key projects worth Rs32b

BAHAWALPUR:

The challenges faced by the residents of Bahawalpur district have intensified as 38 development projects worth over Rs43 billion were omitted from the annual development plan for 2024-2025. Additionally, three significant game-changing projects were not included.

The Jhangra Expressway, South Bypass Road, and Chandni Chowk to Ahmedpur Sharqia twoway road projects were also neglected.

Former Governor of Punjab and Federal Minister Mian Balighur Rehman says that he will meet with the Chief Minister of Punjab along with the MPs of Bahawalpur and bring back the project in the budget.

According to the details, 38 development projects of public interest worth more than Rs43 billion in Bahawalpur district have been removed from the annual development plan of Punjab for the year 2024-2025 by the Punjab government including the three most important game-changer projects worth Rs32 billion.

According to the most reliable sources, instructions were given to the officials of the C&W department by the Punjab government to make two such important projects related to highways in each district of the Punjab province, which will get the government's full acceptance among the people.

Under the supervision of Exion Highways, Farrukh Mumtaz Waraich, the officers of the highways department worked day and night to prepare a project cost Rs16 billion for a 42-km long expressway from Jhangara Interchange to Bahawalpur.

Similarly, officers of the Highways Department Bahawalpur have prepared a plan to divert the traffic coming from Bahawalnagar, Hashilpur, Chishtian, Haroonabad, Manchanabad and Fort Abbas Marut to Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Rahimyar Khan and Sadiqabad and Solar Park of Rs.10 billion for the convenience of the public from Hashilpur Road Bypass to Jhangara Interchange. While a development project of a twoway road worth six billion rupees was made for Chandni Chowk to Ahmedpur Sharqia, not included in the annual development plan of Punjab for the year 2024-2025. By doing this, the Punjab government has further increased the deprivation of the people of Bahawalpur district.

The public and social circles have expressed their deep disappointment over the non-inclusion of de-velopment schemes worth billions of rupees for the benefit of the people of Bahawalpur district in the annual development plan. They also demanded that the Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif to include the development schemes of Bahawalpur in the annual development plan of Punjab.