Digging of new roads banned

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered a ban on excavation and any other kind of damage to newly constructed roads, directing departments to coordinate their work to prevent repeated digging.

Presiding over a special meeting on Monday to review own-source revenue (OSR) development projects across the province, the chief minister also ordered that manholes and sewerage covers be kept level with the surface and every new road have standard roadside drainage, signage and lane markings.

She also barred officials from collecting any charges from shopkeepers without prior approval and sought separate timelines for all development projects.

OSR schemes in Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad were approved by the chief minister. The schemes include construction and widening of dual carriageways, road carpeting, footpaths, cat's eyes, kerb stones, lane markings and roadside drainage, besides sewerage, beautification, sports facilities and solarisation of disposal stations.

The CM ordered that road projects be kept dust-free and proper drainage ensured along all new roads.

In Lahore, beautification projects for 10 roads were approved, including the Egerton, Lytton, Davis, Lower Mall, Lawrence, Queen's and Bank Roads.

Officials said Lakshmi Chowk would also be beautified, with artwork planned on the metro transport track and pillars.

The chief minister ordered beautification of the Orange Line track along Multan Road through cleaning, plantation and mural painting.

A project for construction and widening of rural roads on the outskirts of Lahore was also approved.

In Kasur district, schemes for road construction and widening, solar street lights and beautification were approved, while five projects of sewerage, pumping stations and roads were approved for Sheikhupura.

In addition, 42 OSR projects were approved for Multan division, including dual carriageways, lane markings and drainage in the city and sewerage and drainage schemes in suburban areas. Projects for Khanewal, Kabirwala, Mian Channu, Jahanian and Talumba were also approved.

Six schemes, including road works and solarisation of a disposal station, were approved for Vehari, while as many projects covering a children's park, street lights, roads and beautification were approved for Lodhran.

The meeting approved 12 OSR projects in Bahawalpur, three in Rahim Yar Khan and eight in Bahawalnagar. It also approved 13 schemes in Sahiwal, four in Okara and 14 in Pakpattan, covering road beautification, construction and widening, solar street lights and sports facilities.

For Faisalabad, 13 road construction and repair projects were approved, along with six in Chiniot and 18 in Jhang.

A shopping arena and food street will be developed in Toba Tek Singh, while sports and badminton stadiums will be built in Kamalia.

For Rawalpindi district, 13 projects were approved, along with six in Attock, four in Murree and seven each in Jhelum and Chakwal. The chief minister also sought details of projects for the Hasan Abdal, Hazro, Kallar Kahar and other tehsils.

Presiding over another meeting to review progress on mass transit projects, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz set March next year as the deadline for completion of the Gujranwala Yellow Line project.

She directed authorities to ensure timely completion of the Gujranwala and Faisalabad mass transit projects at all cost.

The chief minister ordered work in three shifts to meet the stipulated timelines. Progress on the Gujranwala Yellow Line and Faisalabad Mass Transit projects was also reviewed through drone footage.