Minister unveils road plan for Punjab

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Minister for Communication and Works, Chaudhry Zaheerud Din, has said the Punjab government has evolved a programme aimed at rehabilitation and widening of provincial and rural roads at a cost of Rs 13.33 billion.

He told a press conference at the department’s committee room on Monday under this programme, 303-km long roads in eight districts of Punjab - the Sargodah-Khushab Road, Kamalpur-Chiniot-Sargodha Road, Pindi Bhattain-Chiniot Road, Jhang-Shorkot Road, Jhang-Toba Tek Singh Road, Kabirwala-Shorkot Road and Shorkot-Mahni Sial N-5 Road - would be widened up to 24 feet.

A sum of Rs 4,090 million will be spent on these projects and bye-passes in Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Kamalia will be constructed. The minister said the Southern Punjab would be linked with the motorway through Vehari and Bahawalnagar.

He said 25 roads in nine districts of the province having a total length of 1,020km would be widened up to 20 feet at a cost of Rs 6,630 million that would resolve transport problems.

He told reporters that work on these projects would be initiated in July and its completion at the earliest would be ensured.

He said the rates of toll tax would not be increased but the system of collection would be improved. He said that a special complaint cell had been set up in the department and a deputy secretary had been named its in charge.

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