GUJRAT: The Punjab government has approved a fund of Rs1 billion for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 36 major roads in Gujrat while Rs400 million have been allocated in the current fiscal year’s provincial development budget.

This was revealed by District Coordination Officer Liaquat Ali Chattha while presiding over a meeting which was attended by MPA Haji Imran Zafar, the provincial highway department EXEN, officials of Gujrat TMA and other departments.

Almost all city roads have been in dilapidated condition since long as neither the provincial nor the district government or the TMA has paid attention towards it.

The roads included in the provincial ADP for the rehabilitation had last been constructed about eight to 10 years ago when the Chaudhrys of the PML-Q were at the helm of affairs in the provincial and federal governments.

Official sources said the list of 36 roads of the city had been presented to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif by city MPA Haji Imran Zafar about a year back.

The roads that are to be rehabilitated include the Police Lines to Bhimbher Road, three portions of the Gujrat Ring Road from Industrial Estate Area to Boly and Madina Syedan, Alipura Road, Badshahi Road, Shahdaula Road, Shah Jahangir Road and Kalara Road.

Sources said Rs100 million had initially been released to launch the construction work as 12 of these roads would be completed with an allocated amount of Rs400 million by the end of the current fiscal year while the rest of roads would be completed in next year’s development budget.

The highways department has issued a prequalification notice to firms interested in the construction of these roads as most of them would be carpeted while some of them, where accumulation of rainwater is common, would be constructed with concrete material.

An official of the department concerned said the construction of drains on both sides of these roads had also been planned as per the master plan.

He said the existing drains damaged on various points would also be rehabilitated.

The DCO directed the officials concerned to complete the project within the scheduled period and ensure the use of qualitative material in the construction.

Inauguration of conference hall

Provincial Minister for Law Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan laid down the foundation stone of a multi-purpose conference hall at the University of Gujrat here on Friday.

DCO Liaquat Ali Chattha, MPAs Haji Imran Zafar and Moeen Nawaz Warraich, UoG Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin and Registrar Dr Tahir Aqil were also present.

Funds for the construction of the hall have been provided by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Islamabad. The conference hall will be completed in about one year at a cost of Rs50 million.

The multipurpose conference hall will be used for all type of indoor sports activities like badminton, basketball, table tennis and inter-university competitions.

It will also provide facility for conducting entry tests, qir’at and naat competitions, career fairs and industrial, painting, sketching, calligraphy exhibitions and cultural shows.

Rana Mashhood said the enhancement of the infrastructure of higher learning institutions could play an important role in the educational progress of Pakistan.

He lauded the services of the UoG for enhancing the educational horizon and prospects of higher learning and assured the varsity that the Punjab government would always extend its cooperation.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2014