LAHORE, Aug 31: The toll-free 63.5km Lahore Ring Road would be completed by 2008, having an extra lane for emergency services like ambulances and fire-brigade. This was stated at a meeting which was presided over by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi here on Wednesday.

The first phase of the project covering Niazi Chowk to Saggian Bridge would be completed within one month, opening the portion for traffic immediately. The dual-carriageway would have six lanes and one on each side for emergency services. It would cost over Rs70 billion.

The chief minister said the major portion of the biggest-ever project of the country would be completed by 2007. The road would smoothen the flow of Lahore traffic and increase trade and industrial activities, strengthening the provincial economy and improving the standard of life of people.

He said the ring road would have 13 inter-changes. The number of inter-changes would be increased to absorb traffic load and to benefit all localities of the city.

The chief minister said 425,000 vehicles would pass the ring road everyday and it would provide top quality communication facilities to all areas of the city.

He said under the project railway crossings and overhead bridges over the city canal would be built. All roads leading to the ring road would be widened and carpeted so as to provide easy access to it. The project would provide rare opportunity of progress to the city’s industrial zones, enabling them to have easy access to other such zones in the province.

The chief minister said the ring road and other related projects would generate jobs for thousands of people. Such projects were already generating a lot of economic activity in cement, steel and other related industry.

He said the government was spending huge funds for the improvement of communication network because of its importance for economic development. It was expanding the road network in all cities to provide better travel facilities to the people and to smoothen traffic flow.