LAHORE, July 30: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (Tepa) and the City Traffic Police to ensure availability of at least one exclusive lane for ambulances on all roads leading to government hospitals in the city.

Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh issued the order while hearing a petition against removal of a U-turn on Ferozepur Road in front of Lahore General Hospital to accommodate construction of track for Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS).

Chief Traffic Officer Dr Usman Anwar and Tepa Chief Engineer Saeed Akhtar appeared before the court and said they were trying their best to facilitate people by providing them safe and speedy travel.

On direction of the judge, the CTO undertook to submit a traffic plan whereby at least one lane on all roads leading to hospitals shall be made exclusively available for ambulances.

The judge adjourned further hearing by Aug 8.

Advocate Shahzad Nasir had filed the petition and submitted that the Punjab government launched BRTS project and authorities removed the U-turn in front of the hospital. He said the U-turn had been repositioned at a distance of four kilometers from the main entrance of the hospital.

The petitioner pleaded that the shifting of the U-turn would cause serious problems to visitors/patients and the ambulances. He said the ambulances would have to take a long drive to reach the hospital.

The petitioner prayed that the respondent authorities should be ordered to shift the U-turn to its previous position.