Work on The Mall underpass starts today

Staff Report

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi will inaugurate the construction of the first underpass on The Mall at its junction with Canal Bank Road on Tuesday (today).

Punjab Communications and Works Department sources said the 125-meter-long underpass on either side of the canal would be for light traffic and its design would be identical to the Jail Road, Ferozepur Road and Punjab University underpasses. However, the barrel width of the new underpass would be less than the previous ones and it would cover the area of 50 meters on both sides of the canal, sources said.

According to the construction plan, the underpass will be completed in three months at an estimated cost of Rs 240 million under the surveillance of the chief minister.

Talking to Daily Times, Traffic Engineering and Planning Authority (TEPA) Lahore chief Khushal Khan said the underpasses would increase traffic flow on Canal Bank Road and The Mall. He said his department had received a letter from the Punjab Communications and Works Department, stating that The Mall would be closed for heavy traffic for the construction work.

He said the estimated cost of the new underpass was far less than the other three underpasses. “Rs 300 million were spent for the construction of Jail Road underpass,” he said.

Lahore District Government sources said the provincial department assigned the task of constructing the underpass should have consulted the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), the district government and TEPA before starting the work.

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