MULTAN, July 12: The Tourism Development Corporation Punjab (TDCP) has got the possession of a 32-kanal plot on Wednesday to build a state-of-the-art Rs75 million TDCP resort on Sakhi Sarwar Road in DG Khan district.

“The forest department has handed over the land to us on a 44-year lease a few days ago on DG Khan-Quetta Road, some 12km off DG Khan city, and only a few kilometres from the airport,” said Shoaib Ahmad, the regional manager of TDCP Multan, on Wednesday.

The Punjab government had released Rs25 million for the first phase of the project that was expected to complete in two-year period. The 488x357 square feet area would have an indoor air-conditioned joy land, an air-conditioned banquet hall, shops, restaurant for devotees who used to visit the shrine of Hazrat Sakhi Sarwar, a mosque, public toilets, staff accommodation, parking shade, landscape plantation on boundary wall and water supply.

“We will construct residential rooms, an outdoor play land and other facilities in the second phase,” he said.

Marking of the plot as per map plan had been begun and excavation would start within a few days to lay the foundation.

Tourists and officials at DG Khan have termed the project as a big step to promote tourism and a worthwhile stopover for those travelling to Quetta or Fort Munro, the only hill station in south Punjab. —APP