Punjab: Major projects put under Special Infrastructure

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Umer Bhatti
The Punjab government has created a new head of Special Infrastructure in the Annual Development Program (ADP) and put major infrastructure development projects including Lahore Ring Road Project, (LRR), Sialkot-Lahore Motorway (SLM) and Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) projects into the head.

The projects are, technically, included in the infrastructure development head but the government has created a new head for it without mentioning its need in the budget documents. The LRR and SLM projects are the road infrastructure development projects. The government has reduced the allocation for the road development by 25.2 per cent in this fiscal year but allocated a hefty amount for these projects.

The government allocated a total of Rs 25.048 billion for the development of Special Infrastructure, out of which 11.834 billion rupees have been allocated for the on-going schemes and 13.214 billion rupees for the new schemes.

The special infrastructure sector comprises the mega projects catering for major urban (intra-city and inter-city) transit and transportation requirements.

The current yearís development program (2009-10) includes Lahore Ring Road (LRR), Sialkot-Lahore Motorway (SLM) and Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) projects.

The ongoing projects of Lahore Ring Road (LRR) and Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) have been given a hefty amount even in this budget (2009-10).

The total cost of the LRR and LRMTS is Rs 22.805 billion and Rs 1.952 billion respectively in the fiscal year of 2009-10.

The Sialkot-Lahore Motorway, a new project, will be started this year and a total of Rs 290 million have been allocated for its construction.

A total of 44 schemes are underway for the LRR out of which, 33 schemes are already underway while 11 schemes will be new.

Similarly, there are 4 ongoing schemes for LRMTS and 4 schemes will be new in this project.

On the other hand, 3 schemes will be started for the construction of Sialkot-Lahore Motorway which is a new project in this budget altogether.

The construction of LRR has been divided into four sections i.e. North Loop (civil works), North Loop (land acquisition), South Loop (civil works) and South Loop (land acquisition).

The major Ongoing Schemes of LRR, North Loop (civil works) which have been allocated the amount in the current budget are Establishment of PMU, Lahore Ring Road costing Rs 194miillion, Lahore Ring Road Construction of Interchange at Saggian Chowk costing Rs 793 million, Lahore Ring Road Construction of Road Portion from Barki Road Intersection to Ghazi Road Intersection costing Rs 1.120 billion, Lahore Ring Road Construction of Interchange at Airport Access Road costing 856 million, Lahore Ring Road Construction of Interchange at Harbanspura Canal Crossing costing 1.169 billion, Lahore Ring Road construction of Interchange at Ghazi Road costing 1.606 billion, and Lahore ring Road Construction of Interchange at Bedian Road costing Rs 1.529 billion.

There is only one new scheme in this North Loop (civil works) which is Construction of Additional Underpass/ Flyovers at the Left-Over Crossings in Lahore Ring Road project costing 372 million rupees.

There are total 13 Ongoing Schemes for North Loop (Land Acquisition) in the current budget costing Rs 1 million each.

The only new scheme under North Loop (Land Acquisition) is land Acquisition for Construction of Additional Underpass/ Flyovers at the Left-Over Crossings in Lahore Ring Road Project costing Rs 987 million.

Similarly, there is only one ongoing scheme for the South Loop (Civil Works) which is Feasibility Study, Selection of Route and Detailed Engineering of Lahore Ring Road (Southern Loop) costing Rs 2.7million.

Whereas, a total of six new schemes will be underway in the South Loop (Civil Works) costing Rs 1.997 billion.

On the other hand, there is only one ongoing Scheme under South Loop (Land Acquisition) costing Rs 1 million.

Whereas, a total of three new schemes will be underway under South Loop (Land Acquisition) Project costing Rs 8.999 billion.

The second mega project whose detailed feasibility had been finalized in December 2006, and which was given a share in the previous budget and in this budget as well, is Lahore rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS).

This is a network of mass transit corridors comprising 4lines spread over 97km distance with 82 stations with Ferozepur Road as the top priority corridor- called ëGreen Lineí.

This Green Line has a length of 27km traverses from the south at Hamza town along Ferozepur Road to Fatima Jinnah Road, The Mall, Lower Mall, Ravi Road and after crossing the River Ravi, ends at its terminus in Shahadra. A total of 22 stations are located along the Green Line.

The LRMTS targets for the fiscal year 2009-10 are, removal of utilities services by LESCO, WASA, PTCL, NTC and SNGPL, Engagement of Transaction advisor for preparatory work of LRMTS, Engagements of the general consultants to oversee the project, and Tendering for the design- build LRMTS execution contract during year 2009.

Currently, there are four ongoing schemes under LRMTS Project costing Rs 1.856 billion.

On the other hand, a total of four new schemes will be started in LRMTS project in the fiscal year 2009-10, costing Rs 843 million.

The construction of Sialkot-Lahore Motorway will be a new venture in the current budget and a total of three new schemes have been devised for this purpose costing Rs 300 million.

This Motorway will link Sambrial Dryport near Sialkot with Lahore city east of Niazi Chowk Interchange on Lahore Ring Road. The Motorway might extend up to Kharian in the future in the wake of a bigger project.

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