LAHORE, July 27: The Lahore Development Authority will develop The Mall service road opposite the Lahore High Court into the first cobblestone food street of the country by Aug 14.

The new food street will open from the evening till late at night. During the business hours it will be closed to traffic. The patrons will walk around for shopping, eating and drinking. A parking area will be developed near the GPO Chowk for the food street visitors.

LDA director general Muhammad Ismail Qureshi inspected the site on Saturday and directed the chief engineer to ensure completion of the work ahead of the Independence Day. He said the food street should be segrgated from the footpath along The Mall by a three-foot green belt.

The cobblestone food street is being developed under a directive from the Punjab governor, Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired). A food park in front of Commercial Building on The Mall and the Old Anarkali food street are also being completed by the Parks and Horticulture Authority under directives from the governor.