LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday inaugurated the Rs3 billion Kahna flyover constructed by a private firm on built, operate and transfer (BOT) basis within a six-month timeframe.

The Kahna residents, however, demonstrated against the government due to closure of passage leading to the Kahna graveyard owing to the flyover construction. They demanded the government to give the residents an alternative passage to the graveyard and other areas.

The project executed under the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) supervision consists of four lane dual carriageway, linking Ferozepur Road with New Defence Road and other major localities of the provincial capital. The CM announced reduction in toll cost from Rs35 to Rs30 for the motorists (car riders). “There would be no toll for the Kahna residents, as free passes will be issued to them,” the CM added.

The LDA says 9,000 vehicles will use this flyover daily and the contractor of this project will recover cost (of the project) through toll collection. “We have saved Rs3 billion in this project. And this amount will be spent on health,” the CM claimed.

Reacting over the move of the opposition parties on the issue of Panama leaks, he said: “Some people, through sit-ins, want to jam the wheal of development. But we and the nation will not allow them to do so,”

He said those talking of corruption were actually deeply involved in corruption. “I am surprised that the corrupt are raising slogans against corruption. They are the people who looted the exchequer and we will surely chase them to bring back the public money,” he said.

The CM congratulated former LDA DG Ahad Khan Cheema, sitting DG Nabeel Javaid, Commissioner Abdullah Sumbal, DCO Captain (retired) Muhammad Usman, contractor, workers and others for speedy completion of the project in a record period of six months.

DISPOSAL STATION: Wasa vice chairman MPA Chaudhry Shahbaz Ahmad said on Sunday that Rs1.7 billion under construction disposal station at Sattukatla would be functional before September, as the residents of Johar Town and other localities facing immense sewage issues at present would get rid of the problem. “We expect completion of this project before September,”

He said the temporary disposal station at Shaukat Khanum Chowk was being upgraded to speedily drain out sewage and wastewater in order to lessen the problems of Jauhar Town residents.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2016