Rawalpindi: Multi-billion Elevated Expressway project shelved, says Punjab CM

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Shahbaz Sharif says he has formed a committee to make an alternate project to construct 10 underpasses on Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Road

By Aamir Yasin

RAWALPINDI: The provincial government has decided to shelve the multi-billion elevated expressway on Benazir Bhutto Shaheed (BBS) Road, as the estimated cost of the project has increased from Rs 16 billion to Rs 30 billion, said Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday.

The CM said he had formed a committee to make an alternate project to construct 10 underpasses on the road at a cost of Rs 8 billion to improve the traffic congestion. He said the committee would submit its report on October 18.

Talking to newsmen at the groundbreaking ceremony of Rs 2.6 billion Institute of Cardiology at Rawal Road, the CM directed the department concerned to complete the project within one year instead of four years. He said that the Health Department would be responsible for institute’s construction, and equipping with latest machinery and make it functional by October 7, 2010.

Sharif said the provincial government was striving to provide health and education facilities to the people and it was using all available resources. Replying to a question regarding the scam of illegal appointments of three fake doctors at District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), the chief minister said they had constituted an investigation committee to probe the issue and present its report within 48 hours. He said the government would take action according to the law.

Later, the CM also inaugurated the new block of Psychology Department and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Ward for Medicine and Surgery patients at Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Hospital.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also inaugurated the construction of Danish School Mauza Takht Pari. He said Danish schools were being set up in the province to provide modern educational facilities to the children of the poor on the pattern of Aitcheson College. He said only ten per cent quota of admissions would be reserved for the children of the rich in such schools.

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