LAHORE: The design of the Rs3.1 billion Akbar Chowk Flyover and Underpass Project is set to be amended to save trees and create signal-free intersections on Maulana Shaukat Ali Road from Jinnah Hospital to Pindi Stop.

The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is preparing a revised PC-I of the project, according to a senior LDA official.

The work on the project will begin by next week as the court has allowed the LDA to do so after it received a report from the University of Engineering and Technology regarding the project’s environmental impact assessment.

“As per the previous design, the LDA was to construct an underpass at Akbar Chowk (while heading towards Model Town Link Road) and a flyover at the same intersection towards the Jinnah Hospital intersection and Allama Iqbal’s Karim Block intersection crossing Canal Road,” said the official.

“Since the design involved the cutting and transplanting of 59 trees, and the Lahore High Court as well as the environmental experts were too concerned on this issue, the LDA, decided to change the design.”

The official said as per the original plan, the proposed flyover takes a slight curve to the right, passes over a maiden line for a while, then goes straight, and finally falls on its original side. This will cause trees to fall. The amended design takes the flyover straight instead of taking a curve at the intersection.

As per the amended plan, there would be no underpass at the intersection (while heading towards Model Town Link Mor via Akbar Chowk), as this side would also have a flyover like the other side of the road.

“The revised design would now cost Rs4.9 billion, under which the Jinnah Hospital intersection would be made signal free for the traffic coming from Canal Road and Barkat Market. The motorists coming from Barkat Market to Thokar or Johar Town via Canal Road will take a left from the intersection, use a protected U-turn to take a right, and reach their destinations,” the official said, adding that other intersections, such as Model Town Link Mor, and Pindi Stop, would also have a signal free drive on Maulana Shaukat Ali Road.

The project cost would be shared, as Rs2 billion would be provided by the Punjab government and Rs2.9 billion by the LDA. The official said a plan to connect Maulana Shaukat Ali Road with the motorway (Babu Sabu) from Karim Block (Iqbal Town) intersection via Kharak Stop (Multan Road) has yet to be approved by the government as Rs11 billion is required for the project that involves an underpass or flyover at Karim Block intersection, another underpass at Kharak, protected U-turns, and remodeling interventions at certain locations.

“If this is approved, the entire road from Babu Sabu to Kot Lakhpat, Qainch Stop, Ferozepur Road via Sabzazar, Kharak, Karim Block, Jinnah, Akbar Chowk. Model Town Link Mor, and Pindi Stop would be signal-free,” the official maintained.

SMBR: Senior Member Board of Revenue Nabeel Javaid on Friday directed the officers of various departments to treat visitors with good manners. Similarly, tax collection targets should be achieved on time. “All ongoing development schemes should be regularly monitored by the officers to ensure their timely completion, and the officers should immediately redress the complaints received on the citizens’ portal and complete the digital gardawari (land cultivation record) on time,” he said at a meeting here.

“The remaining “mouza jaat” should also be computerized as soon as possible,” he added.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2023