09 February 2004	Monday	17 Zilhaj 1424

LAHORE, Feb 8: The City District Government has invited bids from interested entrepreneurs for construction of an inter-city bus terminal on Multan Road near Tokhar Niaz Beg on a BOT basis.

Spread over an area of 400 kanals, this joint venture project will cost Rs500 million to the successful bidder whereas share of the CDG will be in the form of land worth Rs150 million.

District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood told elected representatives of people here on Sunday. This latest bus terminal, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities will have a capacity of handling 6,000 incoming and outgoing buses daily. Construction of a fire station, restaurants, a shopping area and a mosque are also a part of the building plan besides workshops, filling and service stations and parking areas for buses, taxies and other private vehicles, he added.

'New access roads will be constructed besides introduction of more urban transport routes for providing easy access to travellers to the new terminal, he said.

He said that the CDG would lodge a formal request with the federal government for improvement of Kot Lakhpat, Shahdara and Cantt railway stations and making them stopping points for major trains with a view to reducing traffic load from city roads.

Mr Mahmood said that the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) had been directed for constructing special areas for parking 5,000 goods carrying trucks, trolleys and passenger buses at three places in the city.

Feasibility for setting up two such sites at Shahdara and on Bund Road is being prepared, he said. Rest areas for drivers and workshops for maintenance of vehicles will also be constructed at these places, he added. -APP