LAHORE, Nov 10: District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood has announced the establishment of four big graveyards in the provincial metropolis for meeting the burial requirements for a long time in future.

Speaking at a press conference at the District Nazim House here on Sunday evening, Mian Amer Mahmood said that suitable sites were being selected for the proposed graveyards near Niazbeg Thokar, Harbanspura, Shahdara and Ferozepur Road. He said that he wanted every graveyard to be spread over an area of 100 acres so that the same could meet the burial requirements for a long time.

He said that the need for new graveyards had been felt in view of the fact that no burial place had been left in all the existing graveyards. He said that some of the sites had been identified for use as graveyards and more were being searched. The land acquisition proceedings would commence as soon as the selection was finalized.

He said that the Walled City water reservoir known as Paniwala Talab was being pressed into service once again after necessary repairs for meeting the water supply requirements of 250,000 inhabitants of the area. The water reservoir had been built in 1880. He said that water supply system in the Walled City would also be revamped at a cost of Rs13 million in the next four months. At present, only one million gallons of water was reaching the reservoir instead of seven million gallons despite the operation of 19 tubewells.

He said that the City District Government also planned to replace the ages old water supply line in areas outside the Walled City for improvement in water pressure and eliminating the possibility of contamination of water. He said that underground water in the provincial metropolis was fit for human consumption.

He said that the CDG started work on a Rs3.7 million project to provide canal water to 85 border area villages in Lahore. Six canals being built for the purpose would be completed next year.

He said that work on the Light Transit Rail Project would begin next year. The length of the railway line had been increased from 14 kilometres to 35 kilometres but the estimated cost had been reduced from $575 to $400. The latest electromagnetic technology would be used for operating the rail system.

He said that a new road was proposed to be built to link Johar Town to Multan Road through Wahdat Road. The road will pass through the Punjab University New Campus. The university had agreed to the proposal. Wasa had started a sullage carrier service for the Johar Town areas where sewerage system was not operative. Laying of gas pipelines had also been arranged for the town.

He said that remodelling of Ravi Link had also been started at a cost of Rs273 million. The road was being widened and improved to cater to the heavy traffic load as it served not only the General Bus Stand but the Fruit and Vegetable Markets and General Truck Stand as well. The work was expected to be completed in two months.

He said that the proposal to establish an Aitchison College for the poor had not been abandoned.