Post-construction road digging banned
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday approved a wide range of own-source revenue (OSR) development projects across several divisions of the province, covering roads, sewerage and drainage systems, solarisation, sports facilities, street lighting and urban beautification.
The projects were approved at a special meeting chaired by the chief minister to review OSR-funded development schemes division by division. Projects from Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal and Faisalabad, among other areas, were presented at the meeting.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif ordered a ban on excavation and any kind of damage to newly constructed roads, directing departments to coordinate their works to prevent repeated digging of roads. Maryam directed authorities to provide a separate completion timeline for each project and ensure quality standards in their execution.
The road schemes include construction, expansion and carpeting, along with footpaths, cat’s eyes, kerbstones, lane markings and roadside drainage. Other projects include solarisation of drainage facilities, disposal stations, small stadiums, sports arenas and beautification schemes.
Taking notice of uneven manhole and sewer cover levels on newly constructed roads, the chief minister directed that they be kept level with the road surface. She also ordered a ban on excavation or other damage to roads after their construction.
Maryam directed authorities to ensure proper roadside drainage, signage and lane markings and said road projects should be made completely dust-free.
She also barred authorities from collecting any charges from shopkeepers without permission.
In Lahore, beautification of 10 roads was approved, including Egerton Road, Lytton Road, Davis Road, Lower Mall, Lawrence Road, Queens Road and Bank Road. The plan also includes beautification of Laxmi Chowk and artwork on Metro Bus tracks and pillars.
The chief minister directed authorities to undertake beautification, cleaning, tree plantation and mural painting along the Orange Line train track on Multan Road.
Projects for the construction and expansion of rural roads in Lahore’s suburbs were also approved.
In Kasur district, the chief minister approved road construction and expansion, solar streetlights and beautification projects, while five schemes involving sewerage, pumping stations and roads were ap-proved for Sheikhupura district.
The meeting approved 42 own-source development projects in Multan division, including dual carriageways, lane markings and drainage schemes. Sewerage and drainage projects will also be under-taken in suburban areas.
Maryam also approved various development schemes in Khanewal, Kabirwala, Mian Channu, Jahanian and Talamba.
Six schemes, including road projects and solarisation of disposal stations, were approved in Vehari district, while six development projects covering a children’s park, streetlights and road construction and expansion were approved for Lodhran.
