Chairs meet to review proposals to minimize subsidy of orange line metro train
Amraiz Khan
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting of public-private partnership policy (PPP-P) and monitoring board and approved the inception of seven projects, costing around Rs75 billion, in public-private partnership mode.
Secretary PPP policy and monitoring board Dr Farrukh Naveed briefed about the progress made on the projects.
According to details, repair and maintenance of Kharian-Dinga road and Muridke-Narowal road’s restoration work will be done in PPP mode.
Similarly, Gujranwala-Pasrur road will be dualized from Gujranwala Eastern Bypass to Sialkot-Lahore Motorway (Pasroor Interchange).
Furthermore, the Multan Ring Road project and Naya Pakistan Housing Development Plan in Faisalabad will also be executed through public-private partnership mode. The BoR land at Jail Road will also be utilized under a public-private partnership.
The meeting approved to cancel the RFP and bidding process of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project and allowed revised proposals for the Multan-Vehari dual road project.
The meeting excluded Gujrat-Jalalpur Jattan Road from PPP mode for its inclusion in the public sector development program (PSDP).
The proposals regarding the Faisalabad-Chiniot-Sargodha dual road project were approved along with the approval of the revised proposal of the water meters’ installation project in Lahore. The construction of three parking plazas in Rawalpindi was also approved by the meeting.
Housing Minister Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, C&W Minister Sardar Asif Nakai, Economic Affairs Advisor Dr Salman Shah, SACM Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Chief Secretary, SMBR, Chairman P&D, administrative secretaries, CEO Public-Private Partnership Authority Amjad Ali Awan, member PPP and planning & development and others attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Akhuwat founder and Chairman Dr Amjad Saqib called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and discussed empowerment of the impecunious strata through micro-financing.
The CM said philanthropists are the benefactors of society as they strive to lessen the difficulties of the destitute.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has started the Ehsaas program to empower the neglected segments of society.
Similarly, a project has been launched to rehabilitate the transgender community while the elderly citizens will also be assisted in the shape of trimonthly pensions, concluded the CM.
Meanwhile, CM Usman Buzdar chaired the video-link meeting of Punjab Masstransit Authority at his office and approved re-tendering of janitorial services’ contract of orange line metro train.
The meeting reviewed different proposals to minimize the subsidy of the orange line metro train and the CM directed to take steps for the issuance of the personalized cards.
The authority will submit its recommendations in 30 days and the fare will be determined according to the travel distance.
In-principle approval was accorded to constitute a separate force for the security of the metro bus service. This will help in saving security-related expenditures.
The stations and corridors of the metro bus system in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi-Islamabad will be used for revenue generation. Similarly, the orange line metro train stations will be utilized for increasing resources.
Meanwhile, PML-N MPA from Gujranwala Chaudhry Ashraf Ali Ansari met with CM Usman Buzdar and discussed matters of mutual interest. Ch Muhammad Yunas Ansari was also present.
The CM reiterated that the chief ministership is meant for public service adding that parliamentarians are his companions and the solution of their problems is his responsibility.
A special package, worth billions of rupees, has been announced for Gujranwala city and development projects will be timely completed.
I will personally monitor the pace of development as composite development is the prime concern of the government.
