LAHORE, April 10: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said a project for construction of a college, playground and gymnasium should also be evolved in Aashiyana Housing Scheme while extension of Bhatta Chowk should be complete by May 10 for streamlining the flow of traffic there. He said this during a visit to Bhatta Chowk extension project site to review its pace of implementation and Aashiyana housing scheme at Saroba Atari, here on Sunday.

Punjab Land Development Company chairman, Lahore commissioner and district coordination officer, National Logistic Cell sector in charge, Lahore Development Authority and Parks and Horticulture Authority director generals and senior officers concerned were present on the occasion.

According to a handout, the chief minister said the low-cost housing scheme had been initiated for the poor first time which would promote a sense of ownership of national resources among the masses.

He said the Ashiyana Housing Schemes were being developed on costly land near big cities. He said besides Lahore such schemes had also been approved in Jehlum, Sargodha, Sahiwal and Faisalabad and their scope would be extended to the whole province gradually.

He ordered the officers concerned to design projects for setting up a 50-bed hospital and extension of approach road from Ferozepur Road to the scheme. He said steps should also be taken to cover the drain passing through the scheme.

He said suitable locations should be identified for the construction of a college, gymnasium and a playground for the scheme and a detailed briefing be given to him in this regard during his next visit.

He directed PHA director general to evolve a plan for developing a park in the scheme.

He said the extension of Bhatta Chowk would help solve traffic problems being faces by the people there. Taking notice of dilapidated condition of Bedian Road, the chief minister issued instructions for evolving a project for its improvement.

Earlier, the commissioner during a detailed briefing on the pace of implementation of Bhatta Chowk extension project said that construction work was going on round the clock on the 2.4 km long project.

Punjab Land Development Company chairman MPA Sheihk Allauddin also gave a briefing regarding implementation of Aashiyana housing scheme.