MULTAN, March 14: The construction of Nishtar Ghat bridge over river Indus and dual carriageway from Taranda Muhammad Pannah to Bahawalpur and from Multan to Muzaffargarh has been approved.

This was announced by Punjab Governor Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired) while inaugurating the Lodhran bypass, some 90 kilometre from here, on Thursday.

The 11.7 kilometre long bypass has been completed in three years by the National Highway Authority (NHA) with a cost of Rs300 million.

The governor said the Taranda-Bahawalpur dual carriageway would cost Rs3 billion, Multan-Muzaffargarh dual carriageway Rs150 million and Nishtar Ghat bridge near Chachran in Rahim Yar Khan district Rs15 billion. He said work on these projects would soon be started.

He said the federal government had allocated Rs100 billion funds for the improvement of infrastructure of agriculture, irrigation and highways sectors. The better infrastructure would bring positive results for the national economy, he said.

Later speaking at a public meeting at Lodhran sports complex, the governor claimed the government had introduced ‘real’ democracy through its devolution plan. Now people’s representatives were seen active in streets and towns to get resolved the civic problems in their respective areas, he said.

The government, he said, had made accountable the plunderers of national wealth whether they belonged to military, bureaucracy or political parties.

The governor said the provincial government had set a target of 2.5 million tons of wheat procurement for the current rabi season. He also hinted at that it could be enhanced if needed to ensure the support price of Rs300 per 40kg to growers.

He announced that the strength of Lodhran DHQ Hospital would be increased to 125 beds from present 40 beds.

The governor also announced a number of gas supply, water supply, improvement of educational and sports facility projects for the district.

Speaking on the occasion, district Nazim Abdul Rehman Kanju said that Rs320 million from the Annual Development Programme and Rs218 million from Khushhal Pakistan Programme would be spent in Lodhran during the current fiscal year.

DCO Akbar Ali and Multan range DIG Iftikhar Ahmed Chaudhry were also present on the occasion.