GUJRAT: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has launched a mega road infrastructure project connecting Gujranwala, the PML N’s stronghold, with the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway (LSM) ahead of the next general elections expected in November next.

The government has tasked the executing agency, the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), to complete the 15.2 kms long link road at a cost of Rs 11 billion in 90 days. The firm has started the ground work after moving the machinery to project site.

The dual carriage expressway will start from the Benazir Chowk locating between the Chan Da Qila and Morr Aimenabad along GT Road and will connect to the LSM at Wahndo.

The existing 20 feet wide road will be 330 feet wide as more land has been acquired for the project.

Four times former PML-N MPA from Gujranwala city Imran Khalid Butt confirmed that funding for the project had been provided by the federal government, while the Punjab Communications and Works Department was the executing agency.

He said the PM was scheduled to perform the ground-breaking of the project in Gujranwala on July 16 (Sunday) where a public gathering would also be held.

The Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and other associations of the local business fraternity had been longing for this access to M11 since long.

The GCCI had, in 2021, submitted an unsolicited proposal to the then Punjab government of PTI for the construction of the link road as a public private partnership and agreed to invest a sum of Rs 6 billion on construction with additional cost of land acquisition to be provided by the provincial government. However, the project could not be launched due to procedural hitches.

As a Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif had built around one kilometer long flyover right at the middle of Gujranwala city near the old railway station in 120 days and it was opened to traffic a few days ahead of 2013 general elections.

Similarly, in 2017-18, the junior Sharif had made the mega project of flyovers at Pindi bypass along GT road and it too was made operational ahead of the 2018 general elections.

The local political circles say that the aforementioned mega project had earned a landslide victory for the PML-N in Gujranwala, both in 2013 and 2018 general elections.The constrictor firm has already initiated the earthwork after the local administration handed over the right of way to it by getting the stay order vacated on the land acquisition as well as clearing the path from all hurdles.

Moreover, it is learnt that the demand notices for the removal or shifting of the utility services along the route have also been paid for the speedy execution of the project.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2023