CM to inaugurate work on 15th

[Salman]

Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif would inaugurate the project of widening of railway bridge and road from Mareer Chowk to Moti Mahal Chowk on November 15.

This was stated by PML-N MNA Malik Shakil Awan while talking to this correspondent here on Tuesday. He said that the railway bridge would be demolished from left side for starting work on the project. An amount of Rs500 million would be spent on the project, which would be completed by March 15, 2013.

According to the PML-N leader, the project was to be kicked off on October 12, but it was delayed due to several hurdles coming in its way, including service lines like electricity poles and feeders.

Malik Shakil Awan said that now all electricity poles have been removed and the system of power feeders has been made underground. Similarly, the Pakistan Railways (PR) has also diverted tracks of the main railway crossing from the railway bridge. In all 15 feeders were coming in the way of the project, which have been placed underground by Wapda, Shakil Awan said.

Under the project, both sides of the bridge would be widened by 30 feet. Another component included widening of road from Mareer Chowk to Moti Mahal Chowk by 30 feet. The work would be carried out by the NLC and the project would be supervised by the Rawalpindi Development Authority, he said.

The bridge expansion project is another great achievement of the PML-N government for resolving the traffic jams issue in Rawalpindi besides flyovers on Benazir Bhutto Road. Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif had granted huge funds worth billions of rupees for development work and beautification scheme, he claimed.

The PML-N leader confirmed the completion of service work. However, RDA Spokesman Assistant Director Information Umar Farooq said that the work on removing electricity poles and shifting of feeders is being carried out at a fast pace. Similarly, the railway staff is also doing work on diverting tracks from the railway bridge. All such would be completed in some days and then the project would kick off, he said.

Similarly, Pakistan Railways Divisional Superintendent Munawwar Shah had recently said that work on removal of tracks would take only two days.