LAHORE:
The Punjab government has decided to launch work on all remaining sections of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and hope to finish the project in six months, The Express Tribune has learnt.
The project to build a double bus-only lane down the centre of Ferozepur Road from Youhanabad to Shahdara at a cost of Rs22 billion has been divided into six packages. Work on the 10.1-kilometre package 1, from Youhanabad to Kalma Chowk, is to be completed in one month, said Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) officials.
A company was selected to work on the 4.9-km package two, from Kalma Chowk to Qurtaba Chowk, about a week ago and it has set up a site office. The plants on the green belt on Ferozepur Road from Kalma Chowk to the Muslim Town flyover have been removed.
Tenders for packages three and four, which will consist of a 4.1-km elevated lane from Qurtaba Chowk to Data Darbar, are to be issued in three days, while tenders for packages five (Data Darbar to Niazi Adda, a distance of 2.5 km) and six (a 5.5-km stretch from Niazi Adda to Shahdara) are also to be allotted within a week, said officials.
The Planning and Development Department has approved the elevated lane to be built in packages three and four. An official said that the Old Ravi Bridge would serve as the BRTS lane for package five and would be closed to general traffic.
Former Lahore Development Authority director general Sibtain Fazal-i-Haleem has been made the project director for the entire BRTS. TEPA Director Mazhar Hussain Khan is project director for packages one and two, TEPA Director Israr Saeed for packages three and four, and Deputy Chief Engineer Saifur Rehman for packages five and six.
Officials connected with the project said that they were currently deciding what land purchases would be necessary for the BRTS route. They said that large amounts of land would be required for packages two, three and four and they anticipated protests in some cases.
An official said that three to ten feet of land from the edge of the road would be required at Ichhra, and around 21 feet at Shama on Ferozepur Road. Land would also have to be bought from the Old Hailey College for package three.
He said that several shops would have to torn down at Qurtaba Chowk, and many shops on one side of Lytton Road. Shops at the corner of Lake Road would also have to be demolished. He said that the construction of packages five and six would be simpler and did not require extensive land acquisition.
TEPA Planning Director Khalid Mehmood Alvi said that it was a good idea to start work on the entire project at once. “It will mean finishing in the shortest possible time and I think the project will be completed in six months or so,” he said.
It would also mean that the project is finished while the PML-Nawaz remains in the government, so that a successor government could not shelve it, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 27th, 2012.
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I politically oppose PML-N but I think this project needs backing up from the public. We can argue that money could have been used for better purposes and all the other purposes are very important. However, I have travelled on local transport in Pakistan for so many years and always thought that things could be improved. The funny thing is I met Shehbaz Sharif in London on a train and I asked him “Sir why don’t we build infrastructure the way Europe did?” I think this is his answer to me. My only concern is that in construction always open doors for corruption and shahbaz sharif should make sure that the handling of finance is transparent. My suggestion is audit every phase individually as they are completed and then overall audit of the whole project. Being opposition I think it will be very difficult for us to raise corruption concerns after the completion of the project, only if the finances are transparent and audits are done by third party. To those who said people will loose their businesses. Construction and government spending generates jobs and economic activity. Secondly, I am sure Govt of Punjab make sure that those who loose their business get alternative sights for business purposes.
One of the best project punjab government is spenting money for the betterment of the country and public. The other provinces also need to improve their systems and bring improvement in society. Excellent Punjab government is spenting money for Pakistan not like others to deposit in Swiss bank accounts.
it is really a very fatastic idea i pray allh to be successful in all respect
@Maria: You are right. Government should make new hospital in Lahore.
What about the people whose business and houses will be destroyed? They will be totally ruined. Does CM will shut their mouths with small amount of bucks.
@Khalq e Khuda: I think it's good that money is spent on improving the infrastructure of Lahore. Unlike other provinces, in Punjab you can debate where money should be spent but at least money is being spent on improving infrastructure and providing services whereas in other provinces, money is just being mismanaged. That is why Punjab remains the most stable, best run and most rapidly developing province in Pakistan. The people of Punjab have Shahbaz Sharif to thank for that.
After an investment of billions on the long road, Lahore is to get another road project?!
Pml N needs to rethink its priorities and learn the concept of opportunity costs. This money could have been spent on health and education or been built in Faisalabad.
PMLN is going to change the fate of Pakistan while enemies can only blame and jealous.