Elevated expressway planned in metropolis

The Punjab government is planning the construction of an eco-friendly elevated expressway in Lahore for resolving chronic traffic congestion.

The project was reviewed in a meeting chaired by Housing Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal on Monday.

According to a spokesperson for the housing department, the four-lane expressway will be built over the city's main storm water drain and is expected to facilitate more than 70,000 passengers daily.

The expressway will slash travel time between Gulberg Main Boulevard and the M-2 Motorway to 10 minutes.

The project design includes six major interchanges, while additional interchanges will be integrated with the Metro Bus and Orange Line Metro Train routes for public transport users.

Officials said the project would also cut carbon emissions.

Plans for relocating major markets outside urban limits and developing a new bus terminal near the motorway connected to the expressway were also reviewed in the meeting.

An environmental impact study will be conducted prior to final approval of the project. The plan will then be submitted to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for approval.

The participants decided to establish a Lahore Traffic Decongestion Committee to supervise planning and implementation.