GUJRANWALA: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved establishment of a 140-bed hospital on Jinnah Road near Sagheer Shaheed Park and directed the Punjab government to include the Rs394 million-project in the Annual Development Plan 2014-2015.

This was stated by State Minister for Housing and Works Barrister Usman Ibrahim while talking to the media here on Sunday. He said a five-acre plot had been identified for the purpose and PC-1 for construction of a building submitted by the department concerned to the provincial government.

The minister said the three-storey hospital building with a covered area of 135,807sq ft and latest equipment installation would be completed within three years. He said the hospital would provide medical facilities through a 26-bed OPD and 65-bed each gynae and indoor wards.

He said the prime minister had approved the project but the Punjab government would complete it.

CHALLANS: The Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) expressed concern over a ‘challan campaign’ by traffic police and advised the force to pay attention to their duties instead of ‘harassing’ commuters.

GCCI President Sheikh Noman Salahuddin, Senior Vice President Sarfraz Ahmad Siddique and Vice President Rehmanul Haq Phalarwan in a joint statement criticised traffic police and claimed wardens and other officers were not doing their duties and could be seen standing on roadsides in groups challaning vehicles without any reason.

They said almost all traffic signals in the city except Aziz Cross were out of order, showing negligence on the part of authorities concerned.

They demanded the Punjab Police inspector general (IG), additional IG traffic, Gujranwala regional police officer and city police officer direct traffic police to stop challaning transporters “unlawfully” and pay attention to controlling traffic instead.

The officials also appealed to the masses, especially public transporters, to abide by traffic rules.

When contacted, a City Traffic Police spokesman said they were fully alert and managing traffic effectively, while drivers were challaned only when they violated traffic laws.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2014