LAHORE: An agreement to construct the Kahna Kachha-Defence Road flyover on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis under the public-private partnership was signed between the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and a private firm here at LDA’s Johar Town Complex on Friday.
The project claimed to be the first on the BOT basis under the public-private partnership in Punjab will be completed over the Kahna railway crossing, linking Ferozepur Road with Defence Road, Multan Road, Raiwind Road and several localities, including the DHA.
According to the LDA spokesman, the agreement was signed by LDA Director (Administration) Khalid Pervaiz and private company’s director Waseem Afzal.
“Under the agreement, the company will construct 1.5km long flyover at Kahna Kachha-Defence Road railway crossing spending Rs3 billion. The two-lane dual carriageway will be 50-foot wide. Walkways will also be constructed for pedestrians on both the sides of the flyover,” he said.
According to the agreement, the firm will bear the cost of the construction/civil work of the project while the LDA will be responsible for acquiring land and shifting of utility services. About 9,000 vehicles will daily use the flyover and the company will recover its investment by collecting toll from motorists. It will collect toll for 25 years.
The Defence Road is a major link between Multan Road, Raiwind Road, Ferozepur Road and the Defence Housing Society. Kahna railway crossing witnesses frequent closures due to trains, causing traffic jams on Defence Road and the flyover will ease the traffic flow at this junction. It will also benefit the residents of newly-developed housing schemes in south of Lahore besides providing easy access to the new vegetable and fruit market and facilitating movement towards Metro Bus Service (MBS).
LDA Director General Ahad Khan Cheema, Chief Engineer Israr Saeed and other senior officials were also present in the agreement signing ceremony.
Demolished: The Walled City of Lahore Authority claim to have demolished as many as 20 illegal structures, situated within the revenue limits of the Walled City during the last six months. According to a spokesperson, the WCLA building control cell got FIRs lodged against the owners of 220 buildings for violating the approved maps.
Similarly the cell also sealed 49 plazas for flouting building regulations.
Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2015
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