CM lays foundation stone of new fruit and vegetable market

[Salman]

CM lays foundation stone of new fruit and vegetable market

* Market to be developed within six months at a cost of Rs 1bn

* Offices, barracks, roads, shops and mosque to be constructed in new market

Staff Report

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif on Friday unveiled a plaque to lay the foundation stone of fruit and vegetable market in Kacha area, Ferozepur Road, which will cost Rs 1 billion. The project will be completed within six months.

Lahore DCO Noorul Amin Mengal gave a detailed briefing regarding the project. MNAs, MPAs, high-ranking government officers and a large number of people were also present on the occasion.

Talking to media, the CM said that best commercial facilities would be provided in the new fruit and vegetable market and the project would also be exemplary in respect of quality and transparency.

He said that shopkeepers working in the Kot Lakhpat fruit market would be given shops in the new market on priority basis while the remaining shops would be allotted on merit and in a transparent manner.

The CM said that due to expansion, the Kot Lakhpat area had come within urban limits where several hospitals were situated, therefore, the area was not fit for a fruit market.

In order to facilitate the masses and to ensure easy access of patients to hospitals, it was decided that the Kot Lakhpat fruit market would be shifted to the Kacha area, Ferozepur Road.

The CM informed that offices, barracks, roads, shops and a mosque would be constructed in the new market and maximum facilities would be extended to buyers and businessmen.

He said that construction work of the new fruit market would be supervised by a committee set up under the chairmanship of MPA Hafiz Mian Nauman, which has been tasked to complete the project within a period of six months by ensuring work round the clock.

The CM directed that the best available contractor should be selected for the project and shirkers and corrupt elements ought to be kept away from it. He declared that no one under his leadership could even think of pilfering a penny of the government money.

“Pakistan belongs to all of us and there should be no misappropriation of funds,” he said. Shahbaz assured the workers in Kot Lakhpat Mandi that their rights would be fully protected and their problems would be solved on priority basis.