Lahore Central Business District to promote trade: CM

LAHORE:The PTI government achieved another milestone in the City on Friday as the promotion of trade and economic activities is pivotal in developing societies.

Addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Lahore Central Business District at Walton Airport on Friday, the chief minister said the economic activities alleviate poverty by providing job opportunities.

The launch of Lahore Central Business District is a giant step in this regard, he added. The PTI has also introduced the avant-garde Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project and the foundation stone of another mega project has been laid to promote economic activities, he added.

Giving details of the project, the CM said that Lahore Central Business District will be completed in three phases over an area of 300 acres. The first phase will be developed over an area of 128 acres and commercial activity of around Rs1,300 billion will be generated, he said. A commercial district will be established in the first phase, a digital district will be introduced in the second phase while a residential district will be built in the third phase.

The CM maintained high-rise buildings would depict Lahore’s rich cultural heritage while the project's entry and exit points would be designed on the pattern of historic gates of the provincial metropolis. This environment-friendly initiative will contain various facilities, he continued.

The CM emphasised that this initiative would generate massive job opportunities while ensuring human resource development. Regrettably, different initiatives were started without proper planning and identification of priorities in the past and this demented approach tremendously burdened the government.

The CM announced that more than two million people would be provided with the best residential facilities through Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project.

The PTI has a focused vision to bring neglected areas on a par with other localities and, instead of cutting trees, the incumbent government is giving attention to planting trees.

Highlighting the development work done by the PTI government, the CM pointed out that Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Underpass had been completed while underpass and flyover would be constructed at Shahkam Chowk and Karim Block Market Chowk. Meanwhile, underpasses are being constructed near Gulab Devi Hospital at Ferozepur Road and Band Road Chowk leading towards Samanabad, he added. An overhead bridge will be constructed from Lahore Railway Station to Sheranwala Gate to smooth the traffic flow. Above and beyond, the 1,000-bed general hospital project will be completed with Rs9 billion along Ferozepur Road over an area of 124 Kanal. Work is in progress at a cost of Rs4 billion to complete the mother & child care hospital at Ganga Ram Hospital, he said. The CM said that the children’s hospital had been given the status of University of Child Health Sciences; the Radiology Block has also been completed in Services Hospital and another state-of-the-art bus terminal would be developed at Thokar Niaz Beg. Electric buses will ply in City in the first phase to save the citizens from environmental pollution, he added. Meanwhile, an underground water storage tank has been constructed for rainwater storage and 10 such facilities will also be developed besides gradual overhauling of outdated sewerage lines in different cities. This has been started with the laying of a large disposal drain from Haji Camp to Ravi, concluded the CM.

The chief minister has said February 27, 2019, was a glowing period in the defence history of the country when the PAF falcons mortified the false pride of the wicked enemy by targeting its two planes.

In his message, the CM expressed the satisfaction that the PAF gave a befitting reply to the Hindu supremacist Modi regime by shooting two Indian planes for violating the LoC. Unlike coward Indian intrusion in the dead of night, the PAF gave a befitting reply in the light of the day and frightened the enemy. The 220 million Pakistanis pay rich tributes to the PAF and the nation is proud of the professional capabilities of the armed forces, concluded the CM.