LAHORE, Feb 11: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said the provision of quality transport facilities to the masses is the top priority of the government and steps have been taken for this purpose.

Presiding over a meeting to review the pace of progress of the Bus Rapid Transit System project and provision of transport facilities to the people here, the chief minister said the modern transport service had been started in the provincial metropolis and its scope would soon be extended to other big cities of the province.

He said that work was in progress speedily on the project of the Bus Rapid Transit System and a 27-kilometre-long track from Shahdara to Gajjumata would be laid in the first phase.

He said that safe and speedy transport facilities would be available to the masses after the completion of this project.

Shahbaz said the transport system was being organised on modern lines in Lahore and other big cities of the province on the pattern of developed countries.

He said the work had been started on the project of Bus Rapid Transit System in the provincial metropolis with the cooperation of Turkey and the project would be a shining example of the Pak-Turk friendship.

He said like other development projects, the project of the Bus Rapid Transit System would be completed speedily in a transparent manner by working round-the-clock.

He said that in the first phase, the track would be laid from General Hospital to Kalma Chowk, in the second phase, from Gajjumata to General Hospital and in the third phase, from Shahdara to Kalma Chowk.

The chief minister said the BRT project was of great importance and even a delay of a moment would not be tolerated.

He directed to constitute a committee headed by MPA Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad and this committee along with departments concerned would take steps for completing this project at the earliest.

Mr Shahbaz directed that an effective system should be evolved for keeping a smooth flow of traffic during the construction of this project and the people should not face any difficulty in this regard.

He said a vigorous publicity plan be evolved for creating awareness among the people about the importance of the BRT project so that maximum citizens could benefit from it.

Earlier, LDA Director General Abdul Jabbar Shaheen while informing about the progress of the project, said the work was going on speedily for laying the track of Bus Rapid Transit System from General Hospital to Kalma Chowk.

The participants of the meeting also gave their suggestions and opinions about the BRT project. MNAs Mian Marghoob Ahmad, Bilal Yasin, Lahore Transport Company chairman Khwaja Ahmad Hasaan, Lahore DCO and officers concerned were present.