Hastening development: Streetlights in Lahore to go solar, says chief minister

Shahbaz says state-of-the-art infrastructure required to expedite development .

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday that modern infrastructure was a prerequisite for quick development.

He was chairing a meeting organised to review development projects including the southern loop of the Ring Road Project and the conversion of streetlights to solar power in several phases. Sharif said the government had been spending billions of rupees on development projects to hasten development.



He said the quick and transparent completion of development projects was the policy of the government. He said lines of communication were being improved across the province under a comprehensive strategy. Sharif said this was being done to accelerate economic, commercial and social activities. He said that development projects had been quickly completed across the Punjab. Sharif said the quick completion of the projects had initiated a new era of progress in the province.

The chief minister said that the southern loop project was of vital importance. He said that construction of the northern loop had resulted in the provision of improved transport facilities to the people. Sharif said high standards, transparency and quick completion of development projects were the hallmarks of the government. He said no compromise would be made with regard to quality of construction of the southern loop.

Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Ahad Cheema briefed those present on the conversion of streetlights in the city to solar power. He said a plan had been formulated to establish a separate solar park near Manga Mandi to power the streetlights. Cheema said the project would generate 20 megawatts of electric power.

The proposal to convert streetlights to solar power was approved in principle during the meeting.

Price control committee:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said steps would be taken continuously to reduce transport fares further.

He was chairing a meeting of the price control committee through video link at the Civil Secretariat. Sharif said steps would also be taken to ensure that the reduction in fares was enforced. He said no stone would be left unturned to provide maximum relief to the people. Sharif said no one would be allowed to exploit citizens.

Those present at the meeting reviewed steps taken to reduce transport fares and the prices of daily essentials across the province in the wake of marked decrease in prices of petroleum products. They expressed satisfaction with the measures taken. Sharif said the government had taken quick measures following the decrease in the prices of petroleum products and reduced transport fares accordingly.

The chief minister said district authorities had been ordered to take action against those found guilty of not abiding by the reduced fares. Sharif said bus station managers found guilty of overcharging passengers should be arrested.

He said the steps taken by the government should be effectively implementing as citizens could not be left at the mercy of profiteers.

The chief minister said the committee should review measures being taken to reduce transport fares and prices of necessities daily. He said no effort should be spared to ensure that the measures were enforced.

Those present at the meeting were informed that 155 people had been arrested on Thursday for fleecing citizens, 530 vehicles had been impounded and had been fined Rs1.4 million altogether.

Industries Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Shafiq, Food Minister Bilal Yasin and Agriculture Minister Farrukh Javed also participated in the meeting through video link.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 7^th, 2015.