LAHORE: The Punjab government has approved the long-delayed elevated expressway project in Lahore to reduce traffic jams and cut travel time across the city.
The 11-kilometre signal-free road will start from Main Boulevard Gulberg and end at the Motorway M-2, giving commuters an alternate route and easing pressure on major city roads. Officials said the project will also help save fuel, reduce travel time, and lower carbon emissions.
On Thursday, Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Tahir Farooq inspected the proposed route. He visited key points including Main Boulevard Gulberg, Jail Road, Shama Stop, Samanabad, Gulshan Ravi, and Band Road. He called the project a “game changer” for the city.
Chief Engineer LDA Asrar Saeed and NESPAK teams briefed the DG, explaining that the expressway would directly link Gulberg to the motorway toll plaza, benefiting millions of vehicles. They also discussed technical challenges, land acquisition issues, and the impact on densely populated areas.
— ALSO READ —
Kazakh Delegation to Visit Pakistan for Shipping Talks
LDA sources said the project faced years of delays, which caused a huge rise in costs. Initially planned at Rs30 billion, the estimated cost has now reached around Rs120 billion.
Earlier in June, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif described the ongoing road development and rehabilitation programme as the largest in Punjab’s history. The massive initiative covers 18,700 kilometres of roads across 1,471 routes for construction, widening, and repairs.
During a review meeting, the chief minister received a progress report showing that 12,000 kilometres of roads on 1,214 routes had already been completed, with the entire project expected to finish by December.
Punjab has achieved 97% utilization of allocated funds, carrying out road development worth Rs600 billion at a cost of only Rs70 billion through efficient management. For the first time, there has been a 20% reduction in average contract costs.
The government also announced plans to replace the traditional contractor system with a digital toll collection model. Twenty-nine roads have been identified for Public-Private Partnership (PPP), and nine have already been approved for joint operation with private stakeholders.
In building projects, 1,193 schemes have been completed, including the first phase of health center renovations, the construction of Samanabad General Hospital, Sahiwal Teaching Hospital, and agri-malls in four cities.
Key industrial projects like the Garment City at Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Park and several under PCCI-III in Multan, Bahawalpur, and Sargodha have also been completed or are near completion.
— ALSO READ —
PM Shehbaz Sharif to visit Malaysia next month for key talks
To ensure quality construction, advanced machinery such as Road Surface Profilers and Ground Penetration Radars has been deployed.
Major projects reviewed included the Quaid-e-Azam to Wahga Tourism Corridor, Adiala Overhead Bridge, GPO Mall Underpass, Kartarpur Corridor, Multan-Vehari Additional Carriageway, and Faisalabad-Chiniot Road. The CM also approved new expressway projects, including Layyah–Bhakkar–M3 and M4.
Under the upcoming fiscal plan, 313 new schemes worth Rs255 billion will be launched across Punjab.
District-level progress has been notable, with major road construction underway in north, central, and southern Punjab, including cities like Lahore, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sialkot, and Multan.
CM Maryam Nawaz said, “Roads that weren’t built in the last 30 years are now under construction. This is not just about roads but ensuring quality through modern technology.” She praised the efforts of Provincial Minister Sohaib Bharth and Secretary C&W Sohail Ashraf and directed that all ongoing projects be completed within the current fiscal year.
