LAHORE, Jan 14: Fruit, vegetables and grain markets situated in congested municipal limits in various towns will be relocated in a bid to check pollution and traffic clogging.

A decision to this effect has been taken by the agriculture marketing department, and in the first phase 18 markets of various towns have been selected for relocation.

The selected towns are Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Okara, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Samundari, Talagang, Bhalwal, Bhera, Bhakkar, Sillanwali, Malka Hance, Allahabad, Chak Jhumra Bonga Hayat and Chak Madrasa.

However, the department has ignored Lahore’s Akbari Mandi which is causing a severe traffic congestion and pollution in the area and resultantly inconvenience to citizens as it is located in the most congested municipal area.

Similarly, Badami Bagh fruit and vegetable market is also responsible for long queues of vehicles, especially those heading for outstations, but the agriculture marketing department has not considered its relocation in the first phase.

Agriculture Marketing Minister Akhtar Husain Rizvi says the relocation project will be financed by the Provincial Fund Board.

He says all the 30 major markets are also being interlinked through internet under the agriculture marketing information system as eight of them have already been put on the link and a website in this regard has also been launched.

In order to keep growers and middlemen informed of fluctuations in rates of various commodities, electronic computerised display boards are also being installed at all major markets, he says.