LAHORE: The Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA) has ‘almost’ completed the Rs5 billion Kalma Chowk Remodeling Project, opening the Central Business District (CBD) Punjab Boulevard and Upper roads of the Centre Point and CBD underpassee for motorists.

With the completion of the project, motorists have now a signal-free drive from Barkat Market (Garden Town) to Cavalry via Kalma Chowk, Centre Point and Lal Shahbaz Qalandar underpasses and Barkat Market to Mozang and Cantt via Kalma Chowk Underpass.

The construction work on the project started in the first week of December after the contractor mobilised the machinery and labour, etc, to the site in the last week of November.

According to the officers concerned, the construction works related to the underpasses originating from Kalma Chowk Underpass and ending at the CBD high-rise project area and the centre point leading to Firdaus market are at final stages. It will provide a hassle-free entry to the business district.

PCBDDA Executive Director (Technical) Riaz Hussain said with the completion of the CBD, Gulberg Main Boulevard, underpasses’ upper roads and several allied works, the project is “almost” complete now.

“We’re currently focusing on the completion of underpass-1 that originates from Kalma Chowk Underpass, takes a right turn and finally connects the CBD and the centre point underpass leading to Firdaus market,” Mr Hussain maintained.

He said the project has been completed with a 24/7 working model in a transparent way.The project has two underpasses after crossing the Kalma Chowk Underpass (while heading toward Gulberg from Barkat Market, giving a signal-free access to motorists to the CBD project area and Ali Zeb Road to move toward Firdaus Market.

With the completion of the project, the Gulberg main boulevard is now a complete signal-free corridor from Barkat Market to Siddique Trade Centre and then the entire Jail Road till Qartaba Chowk / Mozang.

The project aims to allow seamless access to the CBD at Walton while avoiding disruption to the existing traffic in the vicinity. The project’s first underpass (from Barkat Market to CBD area at Walton) is of 285 meters length having two barrels (each of 35 feet width with around 17 feet vertical clearance). The project’s two-lane underpass-2 turning toward Ali Zeb Road from Centre Point measuring 632 metre have two barrels (38 feet wide each) and 5.1 metre vertical clearance (around 17 feet, fit for all light and heavy transport to passing though easily).

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2023