RAWALPINDI: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar said on Thursday that Rs85 billion will be spent on the Leh Expressway project under a public-private partnership, and 2,750 kanals of land will be acquired for its construction.

Mr Buzdar made a surprise visit to Leh Nullah, where he expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made to clean the nullah and prevent flooding during the monsoon.

He also inspected the proposed site for the construction of the expressway along Leh Nullah and planted a sapling in Rialto Park near Marrir Chowk, as part of the Parks and Horticulture Authority’s tree plantation campaign.

During his visit to Leh Nullah, he said that Rs85bn will be spent on the expressway and four interchanges will also be constructed, as well as special plants to separate rainwater from sewage. He said this would help “overcome the devastation of floods”.

Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Raja Shaukat Mehmood said that Leh Nullah has been cleaned with private collaboration and special attention has been paid to seven points where rainwater affects local residents.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that timely cleaning of the Leh Nullah was a good step by the chief minister.

Sheikh Rashid welcomed Mr Buzdar to Rialto Park earlier, where he was given a briefing attended by local parliamentarians, Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood, Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq and Mr Mehmood from Wasa.

A delegation led by PTI chief organiser Saifullah Niazi also called on Mr Buzdar at the commissioner’s office to discuss the party’s provincial matters.

Mr Niazi told him that the opposition parties wanted to derail the government’s reforms and create political instability in Punjab, but would not be allowed to do so.

He said vested interests in the guise of democracy damaged Punjab’s governmental and political structure while those who treat Punjab like a private estate have set a record of corruption and malfeasance.

Mr Buzdar said that negative politics would be answered in the shape of public service. He said propagandists had been unsuccessful in the past and the performance of the Punjab government would be highlighted in an effective manner while providing facilities to citizens at their doorsteps.

A delegation from the Insaf Doctors Forum Pakistan led by its president Dr Madeer Khan also met with Mr Buzdar to discuss their issues.

Later, Mr Buzdar visited Murree and chaired a meeting where it was decided in principle to set up a new police station and subdivision in Murree, when an additional deputy commissioner and superintendent of police would be stationed.

He also said that a Rs220 million water supply scheme would be launched to provide six million gallons of water daily.

He said the 17km Murree-Muzaffarabad Road will be completed with Rs24.2m and 350,000 fruit trees will be planted. He directed for new construction by-laws to be enforced in Murree as soon as possible, as an act in this regard has been passed by the Punjab Assembly.

Mr Buzdar also said that Kohsar University will be opened in Murree soon. He planted a sapling at the Murree Forest House to kickstart the monsoon tree plantation drive.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2020