LAHORE: The construction work on the Rs5 billion Sheranwala Gate Flyover and at-grade (groundwork) infrastructural development project has almost been completed, paving the way for its formal opening by end of this month.

The project’s major portion -- overhead bridge (renamed Data Gang Bakhsh bridge) -- had already been opened to traffic in May this year.

“We can confidently say that almost 99 per cent of work has been completed. Hopefully, we will get it formally inaugurated by end of this month,” Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Project Director Iqrar Hussain told Dawn on Saturday.

“At present, we are completing some minor works (footpaths etc) at a fast pace,” he added.

The construction work on the project had been launched in June last year and was set to be completed on March 18 this year. However, various issues such as delay in land acquisition at tyre market and other areas affected the pace of work on the project. The Rs5bn project cost includes Rs2.634bn for construction.

The beneficiary areas of the project include Lahore’s northern parts (railway station, Walled City, Akbari Mandi, Azam Cloth Market, Lunda Bazaar, Badami Bagh, Shadbagh, Misri Shah, GT Road, Shah Alam Market, Data Darbar area, Brandreth Road and Azadi Chowk). According to project brief, the mega scheme will ease passing of 130,000 vehicles daily besides controlling environmental pollution caused by dust or vehicular emissions.

The four-lane flyover’s total length and width with ramps is 1,000 meters and 17 meters, respectively, with 19 spans. The flyover’s construction involves 189 piles, 20 piles caps, 18 piers, two abutments, laying of 19 deck slabs and retaining walls.

The project, which is said to save Rs86 million, Rs163m and Rs184m as annual fuel cost, vehicle operating cost and travel time saving, respectively, was planned to be completed in March this year but it could not be owing to delay in handing over of land acquired by the government at tyre market. The project’s construction cost includes Rs1 billion spent on the execution of several at-grade infrastructural development works.

“The continuous rains during the ongoing monsoon is also one of the major reasons behind delay in completion of at-grade construction works,” the LDA officer said, adding that the remaining work on walkways (300 meters long on both sides of the extended portion) would be completed by end of this month.

MINISTER: At a meeting, Minister for Housing and Urban Development Mian Aslam Iqbal was given a detailed briefing on the development projects launched by the LDA in the city on Saturday.

LDA DG Amer Ahmed Khan told the minister that the work on the Sherawala Gate project had been completed and it would be inaugurated soon.

“The sports complex at Sabzazar will also be inaugurated next week whereas the sports complexes at Shahdara, Singapura, Shalimar, Kahna and other areas of the city are being built at a fast pace,” the DG said. He said rehabilitation and improvement work of roads around Babu Sabu interchange were about to complete whereas the road rehabilitation work of Saggian Road was also going on rapidly.

The minister said resources were available for the development schemes and the relevant institutions should work diligently and complete them on a priority.

“You are also required to accelerate the pace of work on the improvement schemes of entrance and exit roads of Lahore,” he said, adding that the development schemes for providing transportation and other facilities to the citizens should be completed by working day and night.

LWMC: The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) claims to have collected and disposed of tonnes of solid waste ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.

“The cleaning of the city is under way as tonnes of waste has been lifted,” LWMC MD Ms Rafia Haidar said in a statement on Saturday.

She said a special cleaning operation had also been carried out on Fort Road and its surroundings for the flag-hoisting ceremony at Hazuri Bagh.

“Furthermore, cleaning operations are also conducted on the Mall Road, at Liberty Chowk, Allah Ho roundabout and on Canal Road,” she added.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2022