LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday gave an in-principal approval to construct an elevated expressway from Gulberg to motorway M2.

He also inaugurated a fleet of 64 new environment-friendly buses for the Lahore Metrobus service.

The expressway will cover Canal Bank Road, Jail Road, Ferozepur Road, Multan Road and Bund Road to Babu Sabu. A bus passageway will also be constructed alongside.

Presiding over a meeting, the chief minister said this project would ease daily movement of the citizens as the traffic load would reduce by 65pc on major roads.

Inaugurates fleet of 64 new buses for metrobus service

Provincial ministers Aslam Iqbal, Asad Khokhar, LDA DG and others attended the meeting.

METROBUSES: The chief minister inaugurated a fleet of 64 new environment-friendly buses for the Lahore Metrobus service at a ceremony held at Ferozepur Road depot.

He formally handed over buses to the Punjab Mass Transit Authority.

Addressing the ceremony, Mr Buzdar said the government was striving hard to resolve problems of Lahorites on a priority basis.

He said underpasses and overhead bridges were also being constructed to overcome traffic problems besides improving the transport system.

He said this 18-meter long bus would prove the best transport facility and the Lahore Mass Transit Authority would provide the best travelling facility to 125,000 passengers daily.

The chief minister said this government had saved resources worth more than Rs2 billion in contract with VEDA. He said the earlier deal was signed with a foreign company while the current contract was signed with a Pakistani company to save foreign reserves while encouraging local businesses.

He said the incumbent government completed and functionalised the Orange Line metro train project in the best national interest and added that its fare was limited to Rs40. He said around Rs6.3bn subsidy was also being given to this project despite financial crunch.

Mr Buzdar said an electric buses project would be started in Lahore to overcome environment pollution and new environment-friendly buses be introduced in major cities of the province.

He said there was a shortage of passengers in feeder buses but the introduction of the cash fare system had resulted in a cent per cent and 26pc increase in the number of commuters in Lahore and Multan, respectively.

The chief minister said the enforcement of the Punjab Vehicle Inspection and Certification System in 27 districts was important in overcoming road accidents and environment degradation. He said the scope of such centres would be expanded to whole of the province.

Meanwhile, it was decided to expand the scope of Lahore Transport Company by renaming it as Punjab Transport Company to provide modern transport facilities in Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan.

A modern bus terminal would be constructed at Thokar Niaz Beg at a cost of Rs3bn. He said the government was committed to introducing a modern mass transit system in major cities to provide the best transport facilities to the general public.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2021