LAHORE: The Punjab government has launched the Green Railway Corridor project to transform neglected railway land into parks and recreational spaces along the tracks as a part of a plan for a greener and smog-free Punjab.

According to a handout, the project, comprising four phases, envisages the development of 32 parks on abandoned railway land previously affected by waste dumping and encroachments.

In the first phase, 20 acres of land from Shahdara to Raiwind had been converted into landscaped greenbelts, gardens and public recreational areas. As many as 21 parks had already been developed along the railway corridor, providing leisure facilities to the locals while contributing to environmental improvement.

Spanning approximately 45km, the Green Railway Corridor project is being executed at a cost of more than Rs1.77bn. The four packages of the scheme are being implemented jointly by the Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) and Pakistan Railways.

CM launches Lab on Wheels project for farmers

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed the authorities concerned to remove hurdles delaying the remaining phases of the project and ensure its completion.

Meanwhile, the CM launched the Lab on Wheels project to provide farmers with scientific soil and water testing services at their doorstep, promoting digital agriculture.

Under the initiative, farmers will be able to request a mobile laboratory through a single call. Field teams will visit farms to collect soil and water samples, conduct on-site scientific analysis and issue test reports immediately along with recommendations.

The CM termed accurate soil assessment and balanced use of fertilisers vital for achieving agricultural self-sufficiency. The mobile laboratories would measure soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) while analysing essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK). Test results will be uploaded instantly through a mobile application, enabling immediate generation of scientific reports.

According to a briefing, each report will include recommendations on suitable crops and fertiliser requirements based on soil conditions. Farmers will receive digital copies of the reports through SMS and WhatsApp, allowing easy access to soil and water analysis on their mobile phones. Agricultural experts will also provide on-site advisory services.

The officials informed the chief minister that a central control room had been established to ensure transparency and effective monitoring of the project. All mobile laboratories would be tracked through GPS, while live camera streaming and dashboard monitoring systems would assess the performance of field teams in real time.

Under the project, the government had set annual targets of collecting 20,000 soil samples, organising 500 farmers field days and providing training to 15,000 farmers each year.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2026