well its a huge project so it will take time.

lets keep a watch out for this project .. i think this is preceisly what the city needs as far as the trafiic problems are concerned.... no other way out... so they better materialize it .. and do it quickly

lets keep a watch out for this project .. i think this is preceisly what the city needs as far as the trafiic problems are concerned.... no other way out... so they better materialize it .. and do it quickly


BTW don't expect this project to take off before 2007 (even if the govt. gets the required funds from World Bank the construction would not start before 2007, this was stated by an official) also this is one expensive project, all four lines (if built) would have a final cost of $2bn (Rs. 120bn) initially work would commence on the Ferozpur Road line (aka Green Line).

arrghhhh!! typical pakistani problem.. so much for PSDP and what not !!!

I was watching a program on Aaj tv with Lahore nazim Mian Aamir was there. He said that work is going on this project and construction will definitely start end of this year........

I was watching a program on Aaj tv with Lahore nazim Mian Aamir was there. He said that work is going on this project and construction will definitely start end of this year........


i hope it does start soon.. we've been hearing about it since ages.... but guess thats nothing new for us... unfortunately thats what happens to these mega projects... as is the case with IMAX :(

LAHORE: Complacency on the part of Wapda, Wasa, Forest Department and Sui Gas installation authorities has caused a delay in the timely completion of 68-kilometre-long re-engineered Ferozpur Road construction project, compounding the miseries of hundreds of thousands of commuters in the process.

Initiated almost a year ago, the three-section road construction project costing about Rs 3.5 billion is far behind the set targets; making travellers between Lahore and Kasur, commuters from Kahna to the central part of the city, and vendors of various drinks and eatables along different parts of the road curse the authorities concerned for the delay.

In particular, the delay in the laying of 11-kilometre-long section from Khaira Distributory to Kahna, at an estimated cost of Rs 850 million, has aggravated the travelling grievances of the people belonging to all walks of life.

Though the Communication and Works (C&W) Department - the agency responsible for carrying out the project to its fruition by December 2006 - has only improved upon the 1905 alignment of the road, the re-engineered project envisages dual carriageways of the road with 24 feet wide double lane on each side besides laying of 20 feet wide service road from Lahore General Hospital (LGH) to Kasur. The road width gets around 32 feet on each side with 26 feet wide green belt median in the centre and the two feet wide metal shoulder on the sides.

For construction purposes, the C&W Department has divided the 68-kilometre-long road from LGH to Ganda Singh border into three sections: 11-kilometre section from LGH to Kahna, 44-kilometre section from Kahna to Kasur and 13-kilometre section tract from Kasur to Ganda Singh.

The government had set June 30, 2006, as the deadline for completing the 11-kilometre section from LGH to Kahna. For the second section, from Kahna to Kasur, the C&W Department had set the deadline of December 30, 2006. The remaining part of the road, from Kasur to Ganda Singh, was supposed to be completed in the first quarter of 2007.

As per calculations of the department's authorities, approximately 1,500 poles installed by Wapda and 20,000 trees planted by the Forest Department all along the road had to be removed for successful construction of the road. In addition, scores of drains maintained by Wasa - as well as Sui Gas pipeline from Lahore to Kasur - was also to be affected by the mega project.

A visit to the road by this scribe Thursday revealed that none of the set targets was likely to be achieved within the given timeframe. The main Wasa drain, between Kahna and Yuhannabad, has yet not been relocated. Nor have all the electricity poles managed by Wapda which fall within the marked area been removed. As a consolation, only the trees standing along the first section have been uprooted so far.

Nadeem Ahmad, a fruit vendor at Kahna bus stop, talking to this scribe flayed the concerned authorities for not completing the construction project in time. He lamented that ever since the project got underway, his sale has come down. Although he tries his level best to keep the fruit he sells neat and clean, people cannot help grumbling about their hygienic quality. The dust caused by the digging process and heaps of construction material, movement of construction machinery on the road, and plying of public and private transport, all combined to impair the fresh look of the fruit, the vendor said.

Zahoor Amad, residing in the immediate neighbourhood of the main road near Kahna, maintained that his entire family had been disturbed by the road construction project. "My wife has to dust the whole house thrice a day," he griped, adding that the dust and soil raised during the prolonged construction period descended on all corners of his house regularly, leaving no room for complacency on the part of his wife.

Nadeem Ahmad, a driver running a coaster on Lahore-Kasur road, lamented that the ratio of passengers had dwindled ever since the digging process was initiated. "Only those compelled by the circumstances like to travel on the rickety road, as casual and happy-go-lucky types have stopped commuting between the two cities," he observed.

When contacted for his view, Punjab Minister for C&W, Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said Wapda, Wasa, Forest Department and Sui Gas installations were the major bottlenecks in the timely completion of the project. "The department has awarded the contract to three leading construction companies for expediting the process," he claimed.

Zaheeruddin also said his department was awfully understaffed as two-thirds of its manpower had been put at the disposal of district governments after the devolution of power. "In the past the volume of C&W projects had never crossed the figure of Rs two billion, but in the current financial year the department has undertaken projects worth more than Rs 16 billion," added the minister, asserting that from July he would embark upon an onsite inspection campaign to expedite the process. More than anything else, the October 8 earthquake has been responsible for the delay. Almost the entire tent-manufacturing industry of the country is located along the Ferozpur Road between LGH and Kahna.

These manufacturers had requested the government not to cut off their electric supply - a step essential for removing electric poles along the road - for six months, so that the tent-manufacturing could be continued at a pace necessary to meet the requirements of the quake-affected people.

Zaheeruddin contended that there would be no compromise on quality. "If anyone finds any loophole, he or she should bring the same to my notice. The responsible agency or contractor would be blacklisted," he vowed.

SE Munawar Mirza, who is supervising the project, told 'The Post' that shortage in the supply of asphalt and tar coal was causing delays in meeting the deadline.

"If Wapda and Wasa fulfil their commitments regarding removal of their installations, the C&W Department can open one side of the dual carriageway between LGH and Kahna for public use before the deadline of June 30, 2006," he said.

SDO Amjad Raza, who is responsible for field survey of the road, said Wapda had to remove 1,500 electric poles located on the proposed construction site. "Of these, it has removed only 300 poles so far, thus creating hurdles for the contractors in the timely completion of the multi-million project," he informed.

"Similarly, the Forest Department had to uproot about 20,000 trees situated on both sides of the road. So far, it has hewed only 8,000 trees and the remaining 12,000 are yet to be chopped. In these circumstances, it is not possible for the department to meet its deadlines," Raza added.

He maintained that the new road would be like the M-3, the Motorway between Lahore and Faisalabad. "There would be two lanes each on both sides of the road with a green belt between them. A parallel 20 feet wide service lane would also be constructed all along the road between Lahore and Kasur," the SDO further said.

Bhaikhaiwal Crossing to be remodelled

Mansab Dogar

Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) would carry out remodelling of Bhaikhaiwal Crossing during the next fiscal year within a period of three months.

A source informed 'The Post' Thursday that TEPA was likely to start work on the project, costing about Rs 53 million, in July 2006.

Following its completion, the project would streamline traffic flow at University Road, Main Boulevard Allama Iqbal Town, Wahdat Road and other roads connecting with Bhaikhaiwal Crossing, he maintained, adding that TEPA would increase width of the crossing to enhance space at traffic signals.

"To avoid unnecessary traffic snarls, turnings as well as lanes would be given free flow. The project would help overcome traffic problems at the roads adjoining Bhaikhaiwal Crossing," said the source, a senior TEPA official He further said the project had been included in the Annual Development Programme 2006 and that TEPA was awaiting the release of provincial grant amounting to Rs 53 million.

It is pertinent to note here that the said project was scheduled to be completed in the fiscal year 2005, but it could not be materialised due to the failure of the provincial government to release the required amount.

"TEPA has completed all the necessary spadework for carrying out the project and is only waiting for the release of the provincial grant," stressed the official, adding that the project would be completed within the stipulated three months.

"There would be no delay in the completion of the project, as all the necessary homework has already been completed," he avowed.

The source said University of the Punjab had given 54 kanals of land for the remodelling of Bhaikhaiwal Crossing. "After carrying out a joint survey, TEPA and the university have marked the land needed for the project," he added. The TEPA official said remodelling of Bhaikhaiwal Crossing was the top priority to resolve growing traffic problems for the time being. However, he agreed that the ultimate solution was the construction of a flyover. "It would be taken up at some later stage following widening of the crossing," he assured.

Finally a 'model road' in Lahore

In an attempt to streamline the traffic on Ferozpur Road, the City District Government (CDG) has decided to introduce computerised Area Traffic Control System between Mozang Chungi and Lahore General Hospital (LGH).

The 18-kilometre-long tract of land between Qurtaba Chowk and LGH has been declared as a 'Model Road' where modern electronic signals would be installed at an estimated cost of Rs 250 million. Controlled under the Regional Control System, the signals would be put in place at 40 different crossings falling on the said distance of 18 kilometres. The signals would be installed after removing all types of encroachments on the road.

A CDG official informed 'The Post' that Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had approved the said project at a meeting held a few days ago. The meeting was attended by District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood, DCO Muhammad Ijaz, IG Police Major (r) Ziaul Hassan and officials of other relevant departments.

He said officials of Traffic Police, Operation Police, Rescue 1122 and other relevant agencies would sit in the control room to monitor the traffic flowing on the road.

"In case of any violation of traffic laws, or any law and order situation or eruption of any emergency, the officials of the concerned agencies would not only identify the delinquent elements through cameras, but would also cope with the situation," the CDG official informed.

He went on say an amount of Rs 250 million would be spent on installation of traffic signals, which would function automatically in response to the traffic load on the road.

These signals would automatically turn green in case of greater flow of vehicles at a certain point. An additional amount of Rs 250 million would be spent on the construction of service lanes all along the said tract of the road.

Mian Amer Mahmood (Zila Nazim) said the project would help reduce the traffic problems on the busy Ferozpur Road. "It would also help in maintaining law and order through a computerised system. Following successful launching of the new system on this road, it would also be expanded to other major arteries of the city," the district nazim added.

Remember the 40 Kanal plot on the Mall given to prince Talal bin Waleed, initial plans call for a $100m 450 room "Fairmont"(hotel) and a 75 apartment complex.

btw any news on IMAX???

I could find only this update, don't know what going on further!!

LAHORE, Jan 28: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday made it clear that the participants in Marathon would be given full protection and nobody could dare disrupt it. He was talking to reporters after performing the ground breaking ceremony of the multi-million IMAX Theatre and Shopping Mall project in Gulberg.

He said the government would not allow anyone to disrupt the marathon which would be held on Sunday (today) separately for disabled people, women and children, and men according to his earlier announcement and agreement with the MMA.

He wondered as to why the MMA was protesting against the event when its leadership had agreed with him on its procedure.

When his attention was drawn towards a statement by the governor that the race would be a mixed event, he said it would be held according to the announced schedule.

The chief minister said everybody had the right to oppose in democracy but it should be done in a decent and civilized manner. This was not wrong to lodge ones protest in newspapers but not in the streets.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/29/nat32.htm

15th April 2006

SC stops IMAX

BY SAJID ZIA
LAHORE - A Supreme Court Bench comprising Justice Khalilur Rahman Ramday and Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmad Friday stopped construction of IMAX Theatre and Shopping Mall Project at Doongi Ground, MM Alam Road, Lahore by way of restoring interim order of the Single Bench of the Lahore High Court, dated February 23 whose operation was suspended by an Appellate Bench on March 9 last to resume construction work of the project. Now the Appellate Bench order has been suspended by the Supreme Court.
The court after hearing the parties on both sides, also granted leave to appeal against the petition filed by an NGO Shehri, pleaded by advocate Mansoor Ali Shah, pinpointing a number of anomalies and monkey businesses about the project to fortify the contention that it was a game being played by some private hands for their own benefits at the expense of billions of rupees of the national exchequer. The project was under way on over 44 kanals of the most prized land in the town, valuing about four billion rupees, with the cost of Rs 1.5 billion to be paid by the government to one Punjab Entertainment Company (PEC), at the head of Information and Youth Affairs and Culture Department Punjab and Parks and Horticulture Authority. However, the government had a zero role in the 12-member Board of Directors who all had to hold private and individual shares in this project even to sell out the company on choice, as it transpired to the court from the Memorandum of Association of the Company during the course of last day hearing.
The court also learnt that for this billions-rupees project even the construction plan was not got approved from the authority concerned.
The court, while granting leave to appeal, has also got on record of the case a complete details of the project; its construction plan and its specifications; companies given contracts for its construction; contracts awarding for import of machinery and equipment; process adopted for awarding contracts; volume of money so far spent on the project etc. Not only the PEC but also the Chief Engineer Communication and Works Department has been asked to provide the needful.
In its order the SC has clarified that this order will have no bearing on the LHC CJ order which already seeks a larger bench hearing of the same issue.
The project consists of four sections including films and theatre, shopping alleys, restaurants, and amusement.
Out of the five companies in the world, IMAX, the runner of Discovery and National Geography TV channels, was picked up for catering to the screening of 3-D, 70mm movies, which Indian film industry so far has produced only two to show against the tickets valuing Rs 3,000 each. Deputy Secretary Information Department and Secretary PEC, Attaullah Siddiqui, while looking blank to various court queries about transparency of the contracts, etc, however informed the court that only the IMAX machinery has to cost the government Rs 230 million to be paid in forex. He said the primary object of the IMAX project is to educate the people on modern lines. This seriously astonished the court.
Justice Ramday remarked and asked what better education would the project impart to the people against the purchase of high value tickets, when this all is available on the cable channels.
Justice Fayyaz remarked it was paradoxical that the poor were dying of want of drinking water, the government was spending billions of rupees on such like projects. Look at the state of education, health and other facilities to the poor people and then assess how much this project is justified, he said adding, poor are crying for potable water which was their basic need and provision of which was a constitutional responsibility of the government but it was not attending to it.
With that the court granted leave to appeal on the petition and suspended operation of impugned Appellate Bench of the LHC order of the March 9 last.

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/april-2006/15/index3.php



anyone knows what has happened to this case ??

^^^
doesnt the gov. have enought power to go ahead with it, if it was the military, no one would have stped them.

Doongi ground at first was given to Shah Sharahbeel, the man behind Alfalah Mini Golf in Lahore. After the property boom, the Punjab government couldn't see a property worth billions of rupees go into the hands of an unknown person. So they intervened and stopped the project being launched by Sharahbeel, which included a go-kart track, swimming pool, indoor cricket nets etc.

Now that the Punjab Government has also lost control of it, who do you think will takeover? The court, the army, or the people?

You choose.

^^^
were did you get that info, the sozo group said the land was given to them to make a amusement park called 'Matrix' .

He came over to my place to speak to my father and requested him to negotiate with the Punjab Govt. He had the backing of Kamran Lashari but still couldn't go ahead with the project as other people had their eyes on the land. Who wouldn't want a gold mine?

hmm so nothing new since april... finally we had some quality entertainment coming into the city and somebody had to have it stopped... :(

Proposed Book Street will add colour to Lahore city
By Amir Mir, Correspondent

Lahore: The Punjab Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has decided to establish a Book Street at Agha Shorish Kashmiri Road in Lahore popularly known as Thornton Road, to add colour to the city after projects like Food and Tourists' Streets.

The former PHA director general Kamran Lashari had proposed constructing a walking street? in the Walled City's red-light area, but the plan was dropped due to severe criticism by various factions of society.

The construction of a Book Street had been lingering on for the last one and a half years. The idea was proposed by former district coordination officer Khalid Sultan some two years ago.

Later, a search committee was constituted for the selection of site and preparation for the feasibility report.

According to the project director of the Book Street, Asif Zaheer, the project was delayed because several proposals were yet to be decided regarding the issue.

He said Thornton Road was the most suitable site which was located opposite General Post Office.
Asif said Punjab Chief Secretary Salman Siddique had given green signal for the early completion of the project in a meeting held on April 5, adding that Water and Sanitation Agency had started installing the new drainage system in the area.

The Book Street would be the first of its kind and its designing was done by National College of Arts Lahore Architecture Department head Professor Sajjad Kauser.

According to the plan, 40 shops of used books will be established, where approximately more than 2,000 books will initially be available to the readers.

The Lahore Electric Supply Company would replace the electricity poles and install underground wires in the area.

here are some saterlite pictures from google earth, SHIEK ZAYED CENTER SITE HAS BEEN POSTED IN THE SZC THREAD, PLEASE REFER TO THAT TO SEE THE PICTURE

NOTE: pictures seem to be quite old, probly from last year/


INDEPENDANCE DRIVE, BAHRIA TOWN
http://www.pakcafe.com/suhaib/INDEPENDACE%20DRIVE.JPG


Safri villas, Bahria town
check out the super planning of this society. you could also see trafalgur square.
http://www.pakcafe.com/suhaib/BTP.JPG

Liberty market
http://www.pakcafe.com/suhaib/LIBERTY.JPG

and guess what, i found my house. LOL
http://www.pakcafe.com/suhaib/MY%20HOUSE.JPG

well abit north of lahore fort, i have found this intercharge u/c, anyone knows what this is, maybe part of ring road.

http://www.pakcafe.com/suhaib/intercharge1.JPG

MAISONETTE
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1149934141.jpg

LAHORE: CM secretariat special unit to spotlight mega projects
Anwer Hussain Sumra

The PML has started its campaign for the coming general election with the establishment of a Project Coordination Unit (PCU) at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

The PCU has been given the task to collect and elaborate data about the achievements of the provincial government in various sectors to be highlighted during the election canvassing by the ruling party leadership, well-informed sources told The Post on Friday.

The Punjab government has set up a Project Coordination Unit at the Secretariat for inter-departmental coordination to provide a necessary impetus to the bids to remove bottleneck in the mega projects and get a timely feedback.

The sources said that PCU would develop a data focusing maximum attention on the development of physical infrastructure of the province for creating job opportunities and generating greater economic activity. The data would provide an opportunity to the ruling party leadership to make projections in the upcoming general elections to win votes, source said.

The PCU comprises three officers headed by a special secretary to the chief minister. The sources said that the chief minister himself interviewed the officials and selected Yousaf Naeem Khokher as head of the PCU while making members Fazal-ur-Rehman, a PSS officer, and Iftikhar Ahmed Saho, a DMG officer.

The PCU was given the task to collect the data about 34 mega projects and initiatives taken in 12 sectors, including education, urban development, agriculture, irrigation, information technology, forestry, health, buildings, roads, housing, police and environment. The mega projects are: Punjab education sector reforms, teacher training programme, sports city, Lahore stadium, Ravi city, model industrial estates (Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan), national programme for improvement of water courses, drip irrigation, lower Chenab canal east, lower Jhelum canal, rehabilitation of Taunsa barrage, canal operation and discharge data, software technology park, land record management information system, motor transport management information system, Lahore Safari Park, Lal Sohanra park Bahawalpur, health sector reforms programme, strengthening of emergency medical services, rescue 1122, institutes of cardiology at Multan, Faisalabad and Wazirabad, Sheikh Zayed complex, construction of IMAX, Lahore ring road, Lahore-Sialkot motorway, Lahore-Kasur dual carriageway, Wahga to Nankana expressway, Police highway patrol, reorganization of traffic police in five big cities, child protection and welfare bureau, maximum security prisons, police reforms and CNG buses and green rickshaws.

Keeping in mind the coming general elections, sources said that in May, the chief minister Punjab, Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi, wrote to the chief secretary Salman Siddique: “I have been monitoring the progress of mega projects and special initiatives very closely and personally. However, given the broad scope of reforms undertaken by the government, I feel that there is a need to have an institutionalized coordination mechanism in my secretariat in order to provide a necessary impetus for speedy removal of bottlenecks and simultaneously get timely feedback about the progress. Accordingly, I have directed that a PCU may be set up immediately in the chief Minster’s secretariat headed by a special secretary.”

On these directions, the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) has notified the establishment of PCU under the command of Yousaf Naseem Khokher at the chief minister secretariat.

In addition to the unit, a committee, with special secretary to chief minister in chair, including representatives of Planning and Development (P&D), Finance, S&GAD as well as representatives of the concerned executing departments, was also constituted. The representative of the departments would not be below BPS-19.

With the establishment of the PCU, all the cases involving policy decisions would be placed by the unit before the Chief Minister’s Project Review Committee (CMPRC) comprising the chief secretary, the chairman P&D and the secretary finance as permanent members. The committee would meet on a monthly basis to take decisions about the mega projects and development initiatives.

The S&GAD has directed all concerned departments, provincial police officer, heads of attached departments and entities to extend full cooperation to the unit in order to derive maximum benefit in terms of assistance to remove bottlenecks and compiling data.

The S&GAD further circulated a pro forma for getting information regarding charter information, approval, engagement of consultants, engagement of contractors, pre-execution check list, current progress and current bottlenecks.

here are some saterlite pictures from google earth, SHIEK ZAYED CENTER SITE HAS BEEN POSTED IN THE SZC THREAD, PLEASE REFER TO THAT TO SEE THE PICTURE

NOTE: pictures seem to be quite old, probly from last year/




images were taken in 2004

well near the lahore airport there seems to be a circular road being made, this might be the ring road. ill try and get a picture

Remodelling of Ferozepur Road, a project of hopes and fears
BY IQTIDAR GILANI
LAHORE -TEPA is preparing feasibility to make Ferozepur Road a model highway. The remodeling includes re-designing and provision of most modern and state-of-the art services and facilities parallel to any road in the world.
The plan is being prepared on the instructions of the Chief Minister Punjab, sources disclosed.
However, some experts believe that the redesigning of the road would render the all-important project of Lahore Ring Road and Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System quite impossible to execute. They are of the view that the model Ferozpur Road would leave no room for one or two elevated structures required for the LRR and LRMTS.
Various government agencies, including the Planning and Development (P&D) department, City District Government, WASA, TEPA, Police and Traffic Police are all joining hands in preparing the feasibility report and highlighting the issues that need to be taken care of before and during the construction of Ferozpur Road according to new priorities.
According to the sources, redesigning of Ferozpur Road from Qurtaba Cghowk to Lahore General Hospital will be completed at a cost of Rs 700 million that also includes Rs 380 million for the installation of modern traffic signals.
The concerned officials are of the view that under this project Ferozepur Road would be converted into a four-lane road including one exclusively reserved for buses, ensuring trouble free and smooth journey of buses used for public transportation. Two lane service road will be developed-from Qartaba Chowk to Lahore General Hospital.
The redesigning plan also includes footpath between the main road and service lane. Bus bays will be established where required besides providing facilities to the cyclists. The officials further revealed that plans being firmed up also provide for changes in junction designs to improve traffic handling, while parking areas would also be established.
Most important feature of the plan will be the removal of encroachments from Ferozepur Road without which the redesigning would be impossible.
The government desires to introduce urban traffic control system not only at Ferozepur Road but also at adjoining roads including Jail Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Canal Bank Road and Maulana Shaukat Ali Road. All signals at these arteries will be controlled from central control room for which a three-storey building will be constructed in Barkat Market. All the concerned departments including TEPA, Police, Trafic Police, Rescue Service and Firebrigade will monitor the signal on CCTV cameras from the central control room.
Green wave will be introduced at these roads, which means that the vehicles getting a green signal will get the same at following crossings. CCTV cameras will be helpful not only for monitoring of traffic but also of crimes.
Experts believe that widening of Ferozepur Road and development of two-lane service road-from Qartaba Chowk to Lahore General Hospital will leave no need of LRR alongside this road besides making the construction of an elevated structure unfeasible.
“Four lane Ferozepur Road, a pedestrian track and two lane service road will make the construction of a huge elevated structure for LRR unfeasible. On the other hand, there will be no need of LRR to pass alongside Ferozepur Road after it is made a model corridor”, said an official in the P&D department requesting not be quoted.
He said that the Punjab Government would have to revise the LRR plan after the completion of Ferozepur Road project. He said that the same was the case with LRMTS.

well i have been away, so wats the latest updates.

i hope imax is completed this year.

well abit north of lahore fort, i have found this intercharge u/c, anyone knows what this is, maybe part of ring road.

http://www.pakcafe.com/suhaib/intercharge1.JPG


this is the picture of the New Bati chook lahore where ravi bridge connects the reavi road lahore
but this is a very old photo because this junction is completed this junary

we all are waiting for ring road, Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, Karachi Lyari Expressway and Northern Bypass... and many more to come inshaAllah...

16.06.06


LAHORE: The city district government (CDG) is likely to embark upon the project of constructing more than 100 modern identical bus stops having all possible public facilities on 32 roads falling in its jurisdiction in the next couple of days.

The project will be completed in two months. Upon successful completion of the project, its scope will be extended to the roads out of the CDG’s jurisdiction like Muridke and Manga Mandi roads.

CDG Public Facilities District Officer (DO) Muhammad Rafiq Jatoi told The Post that identical bus stops were being constructed to provide better facilities to people. These bus stops will provide relief to the students and female commuters who have to wait hours on these stops. “The government has set a target of two months to complete the project,” he said.

The DO said water coolers and public call offices would be installed at these bus stops. Dustbins will also be provided to ensure cleanliness at these stops. “Considering our peculiar social milieu, separate cabins for males and females will be built at these stops,” he said, adding that various public messages will be inscribed on the sheds of these stops to create awareness among people about public issues.

Jatoi said that district regional transport authority has identified 22 stops on The Mall. Of these, 12 were built in the past. Under the new project, not only the existing bus stops will be upgraded but another 10 will also be built. He said that 14 bus stops would be constructed on Jail Road.

The need however is to teach bus & wagons drivers stopping at the designated stops, which is not happening.

thepost.com.pk

http://www.nation.com.pk/magazines/nationplus/2006/16-jun/images/c.gifBeating the heat with new Sozo rides
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE - In the intense heat wave when soil burns and throats are squeezed dry with thirst water acquires a very prized meaning. The new Sozo rides installed recently have every thing in it to beat the heat and it gives an opportunity to experience the true prized meaning of water. There are two new rides installed at the Sozo Water Park for the first time in Pakistan. The project that cost 15 million rupees offers a water dip restaurant, a four multilane water slide and a Lazy River.
The racer's slide that is a four multilane water slide will give sliders a new experience and a new thrill by sliding on a special mat imported from USA. This is the first time that the sliders will compete and race with each other by sliding on their belly on the matt.
The Lazy River is another exciting edition in the park. It is a 630 feet long slow flowing river of 10 feet width. Submersible pumps have been installed to make 300,000 gallons water moving like a slow river. One sits relaxingly in a special tube from USA and slowly floats along the flow of the river. There are interesting attractions on the way during the flow one can view a volcano which erupts every ten minutes, horror chamber, waterfall, rain and bubbling water and much more.
Water dip restaurant is a unique idea that is sure to attract many. This special theme restaurant is almost half filled with water in which public will be dipping and sitting in the water and eating on tables that will be above the water level. This is an experience of its own kind with the water area having live fish in the pond.

CS leaves for UAE to finalise hotel deal



By Mayed Ali

LAHORE: Punjab chief secretary has left for UAE on Saturday for finalising the deal with Prince Waleed bin Talal, who has entered into a partnership with the Punjab government in building Fairmont Hotel in Lahore, The News has learnt.

The CS, Salman Siddique, is being accompanied by Planning and Development (P&D) Chairman Suleman Ghani and Housing and Urban Planning Secretary Khalid Sultan. The Punjab cabinet has already approved the project, which is a joint venture between the Punjab government and the Kingdom Holding Company on the basis of equity. The Punjab government will get 24 per cent of the share in profit against 76 per cent of the investors’. This big hotel will be constructed on 46.6 kanals of land on The Mall in Lahore.

The CS and his colleagues will also attend the meeting of board of directors of Dhabi Group in Abu Dhabi, which is constructing a multiple complex, including IT tower, shopping centre, convention centre etc. over 90 kanals of land on Ferozpur Road. This is also a joint venture.

The said hotel will be constructed on the land, which houses Punjab Deputy Speaker Shaukat Mazari’s residence and the NAB offices. The Punjab government wished to sell the land directly to the company earlier, as Waleed desired not to enter a proper bid. The government had proposed a 30-70 share formula in the business to the Saudi investor.

Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervez Elahi had taken the cabinet into confidence in April, but the matter was deferred at that time. The Punjab government had conveyed its inability to sell the land directly to the said private investor, ignoring the legal prerequisite of throwing the land to an open auction. The Saudi envoy to Pakistan had recently met with the CM, enquiring about the status of the deal, as Waleed bin Talal had been getting impatient with regard to the project. The CM further informed the cabinet in April that the government had proposed a partnership formula in the shares of the project as an alternative.

The Saudi investor had requested a direct sale of the land to him at the rate of Rs 25 million per kanal. The Punjab government had gone for land evaluation, and the projected cost was Rs 2 million per marla. This implies the estimated cost of the land was Rs 1.864 billion.

Waleed wishes to construct the hotel on the site with the collaboration of a German firm. One of the leading business groups of Pakistan was also engaged in brokering the deal between the Saudi investor and the Punjab government. However, the Punjab government has done a direct deal now.

It is further learnt that some top men in Islamabad were also interested in the deal, and had been pursuing the Punjab government to wade through the legal impediments at all costs. A senior Punjab government officer confirmed that the CS has proceeded to UAE to attend Dhabi Group’s board of directors meeting.



keep these projects comin this govn is really impressive so many projects

This gov has done so much for Pakistan and i don't understand why ppl in gawadar, MMA, ML(N) and PPPP don't like them....
these project will rise economey in pakistan, provide more jobs to those who need...
CM get in there Lahore, lahore eh...

[QUOTE=malpensa]CS leaves for UAE to finalise hotel deal



By Mayed Ali

LAHORE: Punjab chief secretary has left for UAE on Saturday for finalising the deal with Prince Waleed bin Talal, who has entered into a partnership with the Punjab government in building Fairmont Hotel in Lahore, The News has learnt.


If the above is true then that is great news for Lahore to have attracted such a prestigious luxury hotel brand. Fairmont are very selective in the location of their hotels as evidenced by the fact that there are not many in the world.

thread is dead

LAHORE: Nazim Amer Mehmood has said the government was considering constructing a separate lane for bicycles along all major roads because cyclists made up 60 percent of the city’s traffic. He also said that Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had approved a Rs 510 million project to widen and improve Ferozepur Road from Qurtaba Chowk (Mozang) to General Hospital.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said the project had been undertaken to improve the flow of traffic on one of the major roads of the city. He said the government had started developing the city that would include expanding intersections, improving traffic engineering, putting up traffic signals, removing encroachments, constructing service lanes and bus stops and helping pedestrians.

He said all departments including the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA), town administration, Traffic Police and Road Transport Authority would work under the Planning and Development Department’s civic affairs wing and TEPA would make the project public within 10 days.

He said the government had also planned to start such development projects in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan.

He said the city government was maintaining 38 main roads and had also told all town authorities and other departments to take care of them. The nazim ordered the authority concerned to get rid of buffaloes from residential areas.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\06\21\story_21-6-2006_pg13_6

District government approves train from Shahdara to Raiwind

* Development committee also approves improvement of Ferozepur Road from Chungi Amar Sidhu to Mozang
* Projects’ cost will be included in upcoming city govt budget

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The development committee of the city government has approved two development projects that include running a commuter train from Shahdara to Raiwind on the existing Pakistan Railway track and developing Ferozepur Road from Chungi Amar Sidhu to Mozang.

“Nazim Amer Mehmood told a meeting at Jinnah Hall that the plan to run a commuter train from Shahdara to Raiwind had been considered, to reduce vehicular traffic in the city and to avoid traffic jams,” a city government official told Daily Times on Monday.

He said the railway had given the idea to the city government and had offered locomotives and a 40-kilometre stretch of railway track for the service. He said the city government would include the cost of the project in its upcoming budget for the financial year 2006-07. He also said the towns from where the train would pass would also provide funds to develop infrastructure for the service, such as train stations.The official said the project was different from the mass rapid rail system that had been planned for the city.He said the railways would itself or in collaboration with private entrepreneur/s would run the train.

The official said the train would pass through stations in Raiwind, Kahna Kacha, Jiya Bagha, Kot Lakhpat, Walton, Model Town Courts, Green Town, Cantonment, Lahore Railway Station, Badami Bagh and Shahdara. He also said two more stations were on the planned route and would be named soon.

The official also said the city government had approved Rs 510 million to develop Ferozepur Road. He said the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) had started work on the project that included widening Ferozepur Road and adding service lanes on either side to avoid accidents. He said the nazim had formed a committee headed by the district coordination officer to make sure work proceeded quickly.

He said the committee would prepare a proposal within 10 days to introduce new routes for public transport buses, constructing bus terminals and setting up taxi, wagon and rickshaw stands close to the above-mentioned railway stations.

The official also quoted the nazim as telling the meeting that it was the responsibility of the city government and all nine towns to develop and maintain the city’s infrastructure. The official said the city government was looking after 32 major roads of the city.

He quoted the nazim as saying that the towns should allocate money to maintenance of all major roads passing through their jurisdictions. “Amer Mehmood told the town administrations to pay attention to street lights, continue their campaigns against encroachments and to get rid of cattle from residential areas,” the official said.

TEPA chief Khushhal Khan told Daily Times that the plan to develop the commuter train would be finalised soon. About the development of Ferozepur Road, he said the project’s PC-1 would be completed by next week.

Home | Lahore

Street fashion, Lahore-style




By Afia Zahoor

Among the first few things that you notice about the female populace of Lahore is the fact that they are highly fashion conscious. Most women in Lahore follow the whimsical dictates of international and local fashion trends tooth and nail. If patiala shalwars are in, they do not want to be caught dead in Capri pants, not even if there are a dozen of them in their wardrobes.

Besides the exaggerated account of an average Lahori gal’s fashion sensibility, the fact remains that Lahori women put their sweat and blood into looking good. Whether it’s a girls’ night out, or early morning halwa puri or just picking up a pair of sandals from Liberty, they are always dressed to kill.

In Karachi, it is fairly normal to venture out for grocery shopping in your comfortable slippers and casual home wear. Some bohemians even hit shopping malls or round-the-corner fast food places in their ghareloo shalwar kameez or faded jeans and much worn Ts. However, in Lahore, the picture is a little different. In most cases, the ladies actually dress up to go get bread from the bakery nearby. Yes, if you have Lahori blood, you’ll be wearing a trendy outfit with trendy footwear and preferably carrying a matching purse to the bakery. And currently the race seems to be to wear the shortest possible shirt over the famous patiala.

Being an amateur in this beautiful city, this scribe is still getting accustomed to the dressing norms of the ladies out on the roads. On a visit to a lace and button shop, one saw several ladies flaunting heavy gold jewellery; a phenomenon which is simply not seen on Karachi’s roads, perhaps due to the rampant looting and gunpoint snatching or due to the relatively austere mindsets. One also felt that women on Lahore’s streets, as compared to their counterparts in Karachi, are way more likely to give you a swift surgical scan to quickly gauge what clothes, shoes, jewellery and accessories you have on your person. In Karachi conversely, people usually don’t give you a second glance on the streets unless you are being weird or wearing something ultra-trendy or eye catching.

At The Forum in Karachi, you see lots of girls shopping or strolling about. Some wear casual body-hugging hipsters, bell bottoms or straight pants, others stick to the usual shalwar kameez. But at the equally trendy Defence Y Block in Lahore, you will perhaps not come across a single girl wearing anything less than trendy party-wear. The occasional western wear that you see on the roads would probably be top-notch designer stuff.

Feeding this mass wave of fashion norms is an onslaught of print and electronic media. Magazines are religiously poured over each season to get the latest in style and hemlines. Also contributing to the fashion mania is the extreme weather in Lahore. What you wear in summers usually does not last till the next season due to the scorching heat. People actually plan elaborately on what they have to wear for the next season, a trend which is now catching on in Karachi too.

The bulk of elite Lahoris prefer to venture to numerous boutiques — along the Fortress (Stadium), Defence and Liberty — to pick up designer labels. The dozens of boutiques along the Fortress offer trendy ready-to-wear informal and formal wear for as low as Rs650. Upscale boutiques like Nee Punhal and Miss Soni offer expensive designer wear ranging from Rs1,500 to Rs5,000 and onwards.

To satiate the western tastes Levis, H. Karim Buksh (HKB) and boutiques like Extra do roaring business in selling funky to sophisticated jeans, skirts, tops and accessories. In fact Extra manages to attract plenty of youngsters who want to get piercing or tattoos to fall in the very ‘cool’ slot. One wonders where the clientele sports such minimal wear, only to find out that this is the dress code for parties especially at Valentine’s Day, Halloween or the New Year’s eve if not throughout the year.




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Perhaps the Lahore centric phenomenon of an extreme fashion consciousness, nurtured by a culture of splendour and opulence is finally trickling on to the general population permanently. Or perhaps it is simply keeping up with the city’s tradition of being high- spirited, feisty and ostentatious
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The rage to maintain a beautiful image is not restricted to attire. Skin treatment clinics have their heyday with the elite making a beeline for Botox or laser treatments. Dozens of gyms and fitness clubs like Shapes and Body Talk are frequented, not only by the tinsel town celebs but also by the ordinary executive and even college girls. Similar is the fetish for cosmetics and the like. A visit to upscale departmental stores like HKB and Pot Pourri is a revelation, with aisles and aisles of cosmetics and toiletries to make one prettier. Imported items are displayed with so many variants to a product that it leaves one in a dilemma. No doubt, the well-stocked supermarket culture has really caught on in Lahore. To cater to the mass mania of keeping fit and being adorned, a chain of upscale ‘lifestyle pharmacies’ has recently opened up that professes to sell anti-aging, anti-stress and fitness regimes.

Those who want to save a few bucks and play around with their design creativity or simply want to replicate designer wear from fashion mags, like to venture to numerous markets in Lahore where the variety of embroidery and colour combinations to choose from is mind-boggling. The Main Market Gulberg is one of the favourites where each shop is lined with scores of outfits to suit all Lahori tastes.

Perhaps the Lahore centric phenomenon of an extreme fashion consciousness, nurtured by a culture of splendour and opulence — fuelled by the Mughal, Sikh and British rulers and patronised by the refined courtesans of yore — is finally trickling on to the general population permanently. Or perhaps it is simply keeping up with the city’s tradition of being high-spirited, feisty and ostentatious. Whatever the reason, street fashion in Lahore is sure to keep you engaged for hours on end with its colour, style and zest.

i really like this about lahore, they are fashion crazy and the fashion industry there is booming, they just need to promote there fashion more, make it internation do fashion weeks and it can get on the map of fashion. lahore is just like paris, there fashion industry can really compete with paris is well.

DOUBLE POST!!!

I disagree, being too self conscious is bad for your HEALTH. The media is to blame as it protrays the prefect feminin look of being slim and gorgeous. This increases insecurity in women about the way they look. It has a very bad affect on the mentle state of women. Many of these images are unattainable for numerous amounts of women. It puts alot of pressure on women and leads to many being annorexsic (spelling?).

* LDA exempts 5-marla houses from map scrutiny fee

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) governing body on Friday approved Rs 9.05 billion as its budget for the fiscal year 2006-7, City District Government Lahore (CDGL) officials told Daily Times on Friday.

LDA and its subordinate agencies, including the Water And Sanitation Agency (WASA) and Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA), have also estimated that the authority would earn Rs 12.28 billion in the coming year.

Officials said that LDA had exempted people living in five-marla houses the map scrutiny fee in the budget. “The authority will increase the engineering fee per square feet to Rs 5 (previously Rs 3) for residential units and Rs15 (previously Rs 10) for commercial units,” they added.

Several town nazims asked District Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood to transfer the control of LDA developed schemes in their areas to the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) concerned, said CDGL officials. Mehmood refused their request, saying the TMAs would not be able to meet the schemes’ maintenance expenditure, they added. Developed areas asked for by the nazims include Bilal Gunj Automotive Parts Market, Shah Alam Market, Sabzazar Scheme and the 1,600 acres Allama Iqbal Town Scheme.

According to officials, estimated revenue from urban development will be Rs 8.02 billion in the fiscal year 2006-7, which includes a balance carried forward of Rs 5.19 billion from the current fiscal year. The authority allocated Rs 1.69 billion to development expenditure and Rs 1.13 billion to non-development expenditure. The LDA’s Urban Development Wing has been allocated Rs 4.45, which includes Rs 3.32 billion for development expenditure and Rs 1.13 billion for non-development expenditure.

WASA’s estimated revenue would be Rs 3.72 billion. The agency has been allocated Rs 1.72 billion for development expenditure and Rs 2.40 billion for non-development expenditure. TEPA’s estimated revenue would be Rs 530.67 million. The agency has been allocated Rs 450 million for development expenditure and Rs 31 millions for non-development expenditure.

LDA has also planned the launch of several development projects in the new fiscal year. Projects include a new housing scheme in Lahore, widening newly built roads between Shaukat Khanam Hospital and Raiwind Road and the Southern By-pass in Johar Town.

The authority has decided to rebuild Gulberg’s MM Alam Road and the road between Pilot School, Wahdat Road, and Neelam Block, Allama Iqbal Town. The connecting road from Multan Road to Wahdat Road will also be rebuilt.

WASA will install 19 new tube-wells and build 350 overhead water tanks in the city. The agency will also ensure meters attached to every water connection.

LDA has allocated Rs 1.47 billion for the provision of utilities at Government Employees’ Housing Scheme LDA Avenue-I. Ten million rupees have also been allocated for the development of LDA’s Trade Centre, and Rs 10 million earmarked for planning a new housing scheme.

The authority has sanctioned Rs 80.3 million for laying a new sewage line from Mahmood Boti to Salamatpura along the Grand Trunk Road, Rs 23 million for a sewerage system in West Canal Colony and Rs 5 million for sanitation facilities at Dubanpurawala.

Mehmood presided over the budget meeting. Lahore district coordination officer, LDA director general, WASA managing director, TEPA chief engineer and town nazims attended the meeting. LDA Director (Finance) Rana Zaheer, WASA Director (Finance) Asif Qureshi and the WASA managing director presented their departments’ budgets.

The LDA director general said the town nazims wanted control of LDA developed schemes because they thought the authority’s staff was not paying attention to the areas.

^^^^ in dawn news paper they have also stated that lda will be building 47 storey tower this year on wasa land

the tower was originaly 40 storys over ground but because there was too much demand of offices and not much supply they added extra 8 storys.


its also good to hear they will rebuild mm alam road, being the most expensivest road in the country it definatly needs a make over, and its also nice to hear that they will widen roads going to raiwind road, that area is the future of lahore, i just hope they also widen raiwind road, multan road and canal road is well and commercialize these roads.

The six-lane road

Everything you always wanted to know about Ring Road
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2006-weekly/nos-18-06-2006/images/she1a1.jpg


http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2006-weekly/nos-18-06-2006/images/she1b1.jpg


By Adnan Adil

The government is building a 100 billion six-lane motorway around Lahore for limited access only.

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said in his pre-budget briefing that on the ground Ring Road will start taking some sort of shape until the end of 2007. The C&W officials say that the portion of Ring Road from Gulshan-i-Ravi to Khaira Distributory (excluding Ferozepur Road section) is likely to be completed by August 2007.

Presently, the work is underway from Saggian Chowk to Mehmood Booti. Niazi Chowk Interchange, one of several proposed interchanges at the new road, has been completed and is open for traffic.

The Punjab budget for financial year 2006-07 has allocated a hefty sum of Rs 18 billion for building this project. This is for the first time that the provincial government has revealed some aspects of the project whose details hitherto have been surrounded in mystery and work on some parts of the project have evoked public protests.

Lahore Ring Road project was originally conceived 25 years back and a few studies were carried out on it over the period. The road, touted as an alternative transport route to ease traffic load within the city, was designed and redesigned in the past with alterations made in it keeping in view the political and economic interests of the rulers of the day.

In 1991, JICA, an institution of Japan, had proposed a road-loop in the city and the World Bank had prepared a feasibility report on a 60 km ring road in the city. In 1995, the Lahore Development Authority had presented its Ring Road scheme. At that time, Daewoo and other foreign companies had signed a memorandum of understanding with the LDA to build this road. However, the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif wanted the Ring Road to include Raiwind Road where his family had built their farm houses. As a result, the amended road design proposed a length of 75 km. But this project could not take off.

However, on November 22, 2004, President General Pervez Musharraf inaugurated the project under a still new design with a ground-breaking ceremony at an interchange project at Niazi Chowk near river Ravi in Lahore. The Ring Road, as it stands today after massive changes made in its route, will go round the city in an incomplete circle. Lahore's mayor Mian Amir Mehmood describes the new project as a first ring around the city.

The road will provide a loop to the commuters who intend to leave and enter the city at the point of choice without the compulsion of using existing congested or sometimes blocked roads. Moreover, the road is intended to provide a fast route to reach old city centre in the north from the south. The present alignment of the Ring Road was finalised by the provincial government in August 2005 having traffic studies and modeling carried out by Nespak.

According to the officials at Construction and Works department (C&W), the total length of the Ring Road is 60.50 km with 13 interchanges on it. It follows Bund Road from Gulshan-i-Ravi to Mehmood Booti. It turns towards Lahore airport's new terminal after crossing G T Road and Canal Bank road at Harbanspura. From airport terminal, it passes through Defence (DHA) in between phase-IV and V connecting with Ferozepur Road at Khaira Distributory. From there, it follows Ferozepur Road up to Camp jail and goes over a nullah (dividing Samanabad from Mozang) leading to Gulshan-i-Ravi.

The C&W officials say that the Ring Road has been envisioned as a limited access high speed road of six-lane divided carriageway with interchanges. The road has been designed for a maximum speed of 100 km per hour for vehicles on it.

Presently, the C&W estimates show that the entire Ring Road project will cost the Punjab government more than Rs 100 to 120 billion. The officials say the mere civil works on 60-km-long road will cost more than Rs 40 billion at current prices. The cost of land acquisition is in addition to this, which is estimated to be somewhat between Rs 60 to Rs 80 billion. This price is likely to shoot up with the passage of time as the project will be completed in next few years.

Under the federal government's restrictions, the provincial governments are not allowed to take up the projects that cost more than Rs 5 billion. The Punjab government has circumvented this embargo by dividing the grand project into 27 different packages. Thus, officially the Ring Road is being built as 27 different roads in the city, but on ground they are part of one grand Ring Road.

Some citizen groups, mostly the people whose property is likely to be affected due to land acquisition for this project, have been campaigning against the present design of the road. They say that this so-called ring road is not around the city but has been designed to pass through congested localities such as Gulshan-i-Ravi. The people in various localities have formed action committees against the project.

Chaudhry Zahid Hussain, president action committee at Bund Road, says that Bund Road, from Niazi Chowk to Babu Sabu, was completed only a few years ago at a whopping cost of nearly Rs 800 million, but it is now being dismantled to build a new six-lane road as a part of Ring Road. He says the newly proposed road will adversely affect 400,000 people living in the vicinity and hundreds of telephone lines, gas pipes and electricity transmission systems. Many shops, petrol pumps, factories and graveyards will go under rubble to make way for the new road, he says.

In Harbanspura, Rashid Khan, an activist, says that the ring road project will cause demolition of thousands of houses displacing at least two hundred thousand people. He says the shifting of the road only one kilometre away from the populated area can save these people.

One of the worst-affected area could be Gulshan-i-Ravi, a lower middle class housing locality of the LDA launched in 1974, which the ring road will divide into two halves and the residents would be able to go from one to the other side through only an interchange after traveling miles. Ghulam Nabi, an activist, says that once the ring road is built the locality will sink down four feet below the road and sewage will drown the houses.

Farid Paracha, the member of the National Assembly from the area, says to build the 140 feet wide road several buildings will have to be demolished hitting 129 schools, 100 trade buildings, 25 hospitals and clinics and several mosques, parks and graveyards. He estimates that 50,000 buildings will be demolished and at least one million people will be displaced with the new road.

So far, the government has not responded positively to the protests against the Ring Road project. The protesters in turn are raising their voices through public forums and media. The portions of the road likely to displace people are yet to be started and once the work starts on them, only then the degree of people's opposition would be known. One question however remains as to what has compelled the government to maintain secrecy about the full details of the whole project, which is being dubbed so vital for the city and is likely to change the city's character for all times to come.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Gulberg’s not the same any longer

* Citizens unhappy with civic facilities, town administration suffers without funds, LDA walks away with profits of commercialisation

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: Mushroom commercial growth, poor sewage system inadequate civic facilities and shortage of development funds have made living in Gulberg not as pleasant as it used to be.

15 years ago, Gulberg was one of the best residential localities of the city, matching Model Town, Cantt, GOR and Shadman. Commercial activity, back then, was confined to Liberty Market and Main Market. A few restaurants had been permitted on Main Boulevard Gulberg and MM Alam Road. Rapid commercialisation with the passage of time and offices of multinational companies, banks, international food chains, shopping malls and cafes have begun to annoy residents.

Talking to Daily Times, Gulberg residents held commercialisation responsible for civic problems such as bad sanitation, sewage, electricity and water. Commercialisation had not only ruined Gulberg’s looks, but was interfering in their privacy and causing noise pollution. Gulberg had been made a commercial hub, they said, but the town administration, the district government, LESCO, Lahore Development Authority (LDA), WASA and SWMD had failed to meet the consequent increase in civic demands of the area.

Rapid commercialisation had ruined the locality, said Gulberg resident and retired high court judge Nasira Iqbal. She said district and town administrations had made millions of rupees in the name of development but hadn’t been able to solve citizens’ problems. The authorities should devise an effective plan to combat civic problems, she demanded.

Justice (r) Nasira Iqbal said LDA bylaws supported the residents two decades ago, but now the commercialisation policy was not uniform, which was unfair to some residents.

Gulberg Town Nazim Fraz Chaudhry said the town administration had to deal with a number of administrative problems, most important of which was the shortage of development funds. The town is yet to receive a Rs 65 million closing balance from its parent towns. Data Gunj Bukhsh Town owes Rs 18 million to the new town and Nishtar Town owes Rs 47 million.

The LDA collected billions of rupees in commercialisation fees from the locality, sources said, but not a penny was shared with the town administration.

The LDA allows conversion of a residential building into a commercial one on roads not declared commercial, charging 3 percent of the annual commercial fee. Earlier, LDA’s building regulations did not allow buildings to be more than 38 feet high, but the rules have been changed to eliminate height restrictions as long as the buildings pay a per-square-foot fee. On the roads declared commercial, a building is not required to obtain no objection certificates from neighbours. “There is a 10 percent concession in the commercialisation fee for education, health and information technology buildings,” an official said.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) also makes most of its money from billboards in Gulberg, but does not share any of it with the town administration, sources said, although parks and billboards fall in the town administration’s jurisdiction according to the Punjab Local Governments Ordinance.

Faraz Chaudhry said that despite the shortage of funds, more development schemes were started in 2005-06 than ever before. He said the town administration and civic agencies of the district government would devise a mechanism to address citizens’ problems.

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\06\25\story_25-6-2006_pg13_1

IT park will improve global communication: Elahi

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Software Information Technology Park’s construction will improve international communication in the IT sector, and generate economic activity worth billions of rupees, said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi while signing an agreement between Punjab IT Board and the Cooperative Business Society (CBS) at Chief Minister’s secretariat.

According to a statement on Sunday, Elahi said the park, being built on 4.38 acres of land at a cost of Rs 1.5 billion on Ferozepur Road, would boost foreign and local investment. He said that call centres and business process centres at the park would help improve global communication.

According to the agreement signed on Sunday, the CBS would provide land for the park and the IT Board the resources. Consultants of a Singaporean company prepared the park’s design.

The chief minister said the park’s construction would create 10,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for science graduates, software developers, network engineers and management graduates. The foundation stone ceremony of the project will be held on July 03, he added.

He said it would be the most modern and hi-tech park of the country. Elahi said the project would be completed in a year. The project would put Punjab in a prominent place at the global level, he added.

lets hope it does start soon enough not like SZC ^^^^

yeah yeah....plans plans and more plans......after 3 years we will learn the project did actually start......and will end up as not even HALF of what was promised after 6 years

too right...
still any news on SZC when it starts and other lahore 's mega projects...hanging in the balance...

^^^^ well talkin abt SZC center i dont think the work will start before 2-3 months as looking on the speed of digging work they are just making people fool. lets hope these both projects start soon

^^ Any suggestions on how to expedite work?

the only joint goverment project which was going on very very fast pace was IMAX which might had been completed by now if the Supreme court hadnt stop the work

Monday, June 26, 2006

DHA residents and experts question Wateen deal

* Experts say centralisation of services does not necessarily make them cheaper
* Deal will lead to rise in property prices

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: Residents of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and telecommunication and information technology (IT) experts appear to be apprehensive of the recently concluded multi-million dollar between the authority and Wateen Telecom.

Despite the promise of the wireless connectivity offered by WiMax technology and the proposed provision of telecom and media services, experts are wary of the implications of the technology, which would provide innovative telephonic calling plans, nationwide and overseas calling facilities, video conferencing, broadband internet (fixed & wireless), high definition (HD) TV reception including video-on-demand and security surveillance.

Some IT experts, familiar with the 3.5 gigahertz WiMax technology, said that the set-up would not be one that would be affordable (both in the long term and the short term) for the people of a third-world country like Pakistan. The costs, they believed, would far outweigh both the revenue generated and the usefulness of the technology itself. The centralisation of several different facilities into one comprehensive package, however good it may sound, would eventually be more expensive and cumbersome than if all these facilities were derived from independent service providers.

Another expert, working in an IT solutions firm, said that when Wateen Telecom would launch free-to-the-home (FTTH) technology, the consumer premises equipment, which would have to be installed at the customers residence, would cost somewhere in the neighbourhood of Rs 10,000 to 15,000. In addition to this, the company would obviously charge a hefty monthly subscription fee from the consumer whereas the company will also charge heavy per month charges from its consumers. This, in turn, would render the facility inaccessible to the majority of the population, and only a select rich customers would be able to benefit from it.

Another problem that experts predicted would arise could stem from the fact that WiMax technology itself was still being developed and was not a fully tried and tested innovation. There are issues still to be resolved with regard to the technical modalities of the system, and in addition, the HDTV service is still in the earliest stages of its development, and there are very few channels offering HDTV-quality transmission, rendering the hi-tech equipment useless for normal programming.

In addition, property dealers were of the opinion that the plan would only serve to bring up the prices of plots and houses in DHA, because it was a value-added service, like universities, golf courses etc.

DHA residents, on the other hand, seemed to be (generally) unaware of the utility of the services being provided by Wateen Telecom. A Daily Times survey revealed that most people could not differentiate the new service from already existing ones. “I dont know what the novelty is about Wimax, because I’m already getting broadband Internet and foreign satellite television channels,” said Murtaza Raza, a DHA resident. He said that things would only become clear to residents after the service became operational. Another DHA resident, Muhammad Shahzad, said that there was no point in worrying about what the service would and would not offer, because it was the consumers that dictated demand and supply, and if the service failed to live up to its promise or was too expensive, it would be rejected by consumers anyway.

DHA Secretary Col Amir Ayub said there was no problem of any kind with WiMax technology as all angles had been covered by Wateen Telecom. About the high cost of service, he said that any such issues could be sorted out by providing instalment-payment facilities etc.

The general manager Wateen Telecom Tariq Qureshi said that there was no problem with WiMax anywhere in the world because now it has been standardised and proprietary solutions have been given. He said that it would be expensive but obviously not that much that the consumer could not afford it. He said that telecom future is based on WiMax (3.5 gh) especially since it frees its carriers from all sort of regulatory problems.

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\06\26\story_26-6-2006_pg13_7

PFC giving Lahore Rs 6.3b

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The Punjab government has allocated Rs 6.3 billion to the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) under the proposed Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) share, CDGL officials told Daily Times on Sunday.

“The amount will be disbursed further by the CDGL according to its development and non-development expenditure,” said officials, asking not to be named. The 2006-7 district government budget has almost been compiled with the transferring of the PFC share, they said. The budget would be presented to the district assembly in its June 29 meeting, they added.

Officials said the district government had proposed a budget of Rs 9 billion, which includes Rs 700 million as balance carried forward, Rs 2.2 billion as development budget and Rs 6.3 billion as PFC share. “CDGL expects to earn Rs 9.3 billion in 2006-7, of Rs 6.8 billion will be spent on non-development expenditure and the remaining on employees’ salaries and other expenditure,” they added.

The budget 2006-7 proposes Rs 680 million for Citizen Community Boards (including Rs 297 million for ongoing schemes), Rs 1.4 billion for new development schemes, Rs 600 million for heath services, Rs 1.6 billion for municipal services and Rs 3.8 billion for the education sector. The district government also proposes to establish an emergency relief centre at a cost of Rs 50 million, according to CDGL officials.

Besides the amount allocated as PFC share, the district government would get an additional Rs 1 billion to develop colleges. Colleges fall under the Punjab government’s control, but the allocation would be made to the CDGL. “The additional Rs 1 billion will be spent on paying the increased (by 15 percent) salaries,” said officials.

They said the CDGL 2005-6 interim budget was presented on January 27, 2006 allocated Rs 1.14 billion to be spent on new and ongoing CDGL development schemes. The estimated non-development expenditure was Rs 6.19 billion and estimated income Rs 6.92 billion.

“Resources will be distributed between local governments and provincial governments under the proposed 2006-7 PFC according to the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001 (as amended),” said officials. A Provincial Retained Account and a Provincial Allocable Amount and 2.5 percent General Sales Tax (GST) would be added to the provincial allocable amount, they added.

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\06\26\story_26-6-2006_pg13_3

very good...
keep developing and stop the corruption....use the money into needed place bcz there are everywhere...

Looks like WorldCall is starting to feel its presence in the market will be threatened. The day Wateen will launch, I will have WorldCall Internet and Cable TV disconnected. No wonder Mr. Salman Taseer, owner of WorldCall, is giving such news in today's paper.

where is the location of IT Park? will anybody please define?what about 38 story tower in Gulberg? is it under construction? or just a vision?

proposed location of IT park of punjab govt is near qainchi flyover on main ferozpur road . It is Right in fornt of ittefaq hospital. The land is of co-op stores corporation. TCS Lahore main office is also located in that premises The office shall be demolished for the construcion of IT Tower. Formal inauguration ceremony shall be held on 03 july 2006 by chief minister punjab.
Work on ring road is going on at a rapid pace infront of airport. Govt has released 17 crore for the portion of the ring road. The money is to be spent before 30th June.Govt has allocated rs. 3.5 billion as compensation for land of saggian interchange. In total Rs. 11 billion have alredy been spent in 2005-6 budget. In 2006-7 budget govt has alocated Rs. 18 billion for the project. The target of Govt is to complete 42 km rd portion before June 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs. 30 billion. Total estimate is Rs. 70 billion for ring road to completed n 2010.

but i thought that the portion of ring road infront of airport is completed now.

proposed location of IT park of punjab govt is near qainchi flyover on main ferozpur road . It is Right in fornt of ittefaq hospital. The land is of co-op stores corporation.

Bad location, literally at a stones throw from Sabzi Mandi.

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/8279/itp33xf.jpg

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/2310/itp10no.th.jpg (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=itp10no.jpg)

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/1275/itp27ha.th.jpg (http://img102.imageshack.us/my.php?image=itp27ha.jpg)

^^^ yes i agree very bad location

Preferably should have been built on Main Boulevard Gulberg.

But still we are hearing widening of the Ferozeurpur Road. Also I have seen work on Walton Road is going on, probabaly being converted into six lane. So the overall approach location of IT park is not that bad.

^^^ about walton road they are only adding service lanes to both side of the road they are not yet widening the main one. but they do have to plans to widen it up in nerar future as stated by core commander lahore in his presentation to estate agent in phase 6.

i think its a very good location, you can not find any big plot like this on main boulevard or in gulberg and this project should give the area an uplift and make way for more towers on ferozpur road,

Court adjourns IMAX hearing till July 7

Staff Report

LAHORE: A full bench of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing till July 7 of a petition challenging the construction of a multi-million IMAX Theatre at Mini Market Ground, Gulberg.

The bench, consisting of Justices Sakhi Hussain Bukhari, Mohammad Bilal Khan and Fazl-e-Miran Chohan, told the petitioner to approach the chief justice to form another bench after the petitioner’s lawyer Syed Mansoor Ali Shah raised objections to the constitution of this bench.

The lawyer said that this bench could not hear the case because one of its members, Justice Mohammad Bilal Khan, had suspended the interim orders of a single bench of Justice Mohammad Sayeed Akhter.

He said that the judge, who had admitted the writ petition and granted the interim relief, must be part of the full bench.

Khawaja Saeed-uz-Zafar, lawyer for the Punjab Entertainment Company (PEC), which is building a cinema in this ground, opposed the petitioner’s arguments for putting the case to another bench. Ali Sibtain Fazli, who is representing Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), agreed to this point of view.

The full bench, however, directed the petitioner to approach the chief justice for the formation of another bench to decide this matter. The petition was moved on behalf of 11 residents and an NGO Citizens for Better Environment against the construction of the theatre.

Syed Mansoor Ali Shah said that according to an LDA plan made in 1950, this land was declared a park and construction of a building at the place was illegal.

He also challenged transfer of Mini Market Ground from the LDA to the PHA and then to the PEC submitting that the whole process was flawed and against the law.

A single bench allowed a status quo against the construction of the theatre on February 23, 2006, but a division bench of the Lahore High Court vacated the stay on March 8.

Then the matter was taken to the Supreme Court, which also had stayed the construction.

The PEC has also filed an application with the LHC bench seeking permission to maintain the theatre building in proper form as the rainy season had set in.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Rs 21.6 billion budget okayed amid chaos

* Rs 9.09b allocated to district government, Rs 9.05b to LDA
* District government to spend Rs 2.34b on development, Rs 6.75b on non-development expenditures

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood announced a surplus budget of Rs 21.6 billion for the fiscal year 2006-07 amidst scuffles between government and opposition members of the district assembly on Wednesday.

Members of ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) approved the budget, however, after the opposition boycotted the session and left. Opposition members then protested outside the nazim’s office and torched copies of the budget. They said budgetary allocations were unrealistic and facts and figures had been fabricated to serve the nazim’s vested interests.

The district budget, first of the province for the coming fiscal year, shows a surplus amount of Rs 110 million. The district government will spend Rs 2.34 billion for development schemes and Rs 6.75 billion for non-development expenditures. Rs 9.05 billion have been allocated to the Lahore Development Authority, (excluding its opening balance of Rs 4.67 billion) and its subordinate agencies including Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA).

The district government’s receipts for the fiscal year have been estimated at around Rs 9.21 billion, including an opening balance of Rs 722.82 million – Rs 6.3 billion under the proposed provincial finance commission, Rs 603.5 million in the district government’s own receipts, Rs 1.18 billion as OCTROI grant, Rs 17.2 million in supplementaries and non-development grants and Rs 382.02 million in tied grants.

The highest budgetary allocations have been made to roads, education and citizen community boards.

During the debate, the nazim accepted several proposals including that of the cancellation of the proposed increase in the Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) engineering fee from Rs 3 to Rs 5 per square foot for residential units and from Rs 10 to Rs 15 for commercial units.

Rs 1.69 billion have been allocated to the Annual Development Programme (excluding Citizen Community Board projects).

Sector wise allocations of the development budget (including Citizen Community Board projects) worth Rs 2.34 billion, according to the nazim’s speech, have been given below:

Education: Rs 710 million have been allocated to education, Rs 197 million of which will be spent on ongoing development schemes, Rs 230 million on new schemes, Rs 160 million for 16 new schools and Rs 32 million for addition to and alteration of old schools.

Rs 232.76 million have been sanctioned for new education schemes under the district government’s Annual Development Programme (ADP).

Infrastructure and Roads: The district government has allocated Rs 1.2 billion to the construction of new roads. Construction of Qurtaba Chowk-Chauburji road, Bahawalpur Road, Edgerton Road, Empress Road, Allama Iqbal Road, McLeod Road, Litton Road, Hall Road and Beadon Road is likely to be completed this year.

Rs 5 million have been allocated for the road from Naro village to Sarfaraz Road near Wagah, Rs 91 million for College Road, Rs 50 million for Nelum Block Road, Rs 30 million for roads in Karim Block, Allama Iqbal Town, Rs 200 million for southern bypass from Lahore Canal to College Road, Rs 183 million for various other schemes.

Health: Rs 240.1 million have been allocated to health, of which Rs 27.2 million will be spent on new schemes while the rest of the money will be spent on ongoing schemes.

Agriculture, livestock and fisheries: The district government has allocation Rs 15 million for Agriculture, livestock and fisheries. New development schemes worth Rs 12.6 million will be started during 2006-07.

Electrical and Mechanical Department: Rs 17.9 million have been allocated to new and ongoing development schemes of the Electrical and Mechanical Department, Rs 9 million of which will be spent on new schemes.

Solid waste management: The district government has allocated Rs 140 million for the solid waste management schemes, Rs 100 million of which will be spent on new schemes.

Revenue: Rs 20 million will be spent on upgrading the Revenue Department, Rs 15 million of which will be spent on new upgrading schemes.

Transport: Rs 116.2 million have been allocated to the Transport Department’s development projects, Rs 110 million of which will be spent on new schemes.

Citizen Community Boards: Rs 650 million have been allocated to Citizen Community Board projects.

General Schemes: The district government has allocated Rs 50 million to the construction of Government Complex at Jinnah Hall, Rs 2 million to the construction of Information Technology Centre, Rs 9 million for literacy and Rs 4.1 million for ongoing social development schemes.

LDA and subordinate agencies: Rs 9.05 billion have been allocated to the LDA and its subordinate agencies. The LDA and its subordinate departments including the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), the Traffic, Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA), expects an income of Rs 12.28 billion.

LDA estimates an Rs 8.02 billion revenue from Urban Development and an opening balance of Rs5.19 billions from the ongoing fiscal year. Rs 1.69 billion have been allocated to development expenditures and Rs 1.13 billion will be spent on for non-development expenditures. The Urban Development Wing of the LDA will spend Rs 4.45 billion – Rs 3.32 billion for development and Rs 1.13 billion for non-development expenditures.

WASA expects a revenue of Rs 3.72 billion, of which Rs 1.72 billion will be spent on development schemes and Rs 2.40 billion on non-development expenditures.

TEPA expects a revenue of Rs 530.67 million, of which Rs 450 million will be spent on development schemes and Rs 31 million on non development expenditures.

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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\06\29\story_29-6-2006_pg13_1

Court adjourns IMAX hearing till July 7

Staff Report

LAHORE: A full bench of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing till July 7 of a petition challenging the construction of a multi-million IMAX Theatre at Mini Market Ground, Gulberg.
.........
He also challenged transfer of Mini Market Ground from the LDA to the PHA and then to the PEC submitting that the whole process was flawed and against the law.



just realised, where they are planning to build IMAX. Its adjacent to Cafe Zouq probably and traffic in the roundabout and on front road leading to Main market & Firdous Market is always congested & messy, especially at weekends. I hate to go there especially on weekends. Also I see boys playing cricket in the ground often. They shouldn't be deprived of this. An extremely bad location. No to IMAX on this location.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i182/vazim/imxgrnd.jpg

its a great location because its a posh shopping district and needs a posh shopping mall and cinema, they both (project, location) go togeher.

sure it has alot of traffic but then every commercial area in lahore does, and the traffic on that road can easily be sorted out if the road is widened and traffic lights are added there.

Saturday, July 01, 2006

LBC denounces proposed felling of trees on the Canal

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Lahore Bachao Committee (LBC) on Friday denounced the proposed felling of more than 10,000 trees from Darahpura Underpass to Tohkhar Niaz Baig to widen Canal Road.

LBC members were addressing a seminar at Ali Auditorium over the environmental impact of felling the trees. They said the addition of two lanes on either side of the canal would not increase the road’s capacity because of the eight underpasses on the road. “Parties without vested interest in the project should make an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA),” they added.

Kamil Mumtaz Khan, the LBC head, said the proposed project would deteriorate the city’s environment. “The government should adopt measures to encourage public transport instead of promoting the use of private vehicles,” he said. The road’s widening would eliminate greenery on 60 acres of land, he added. “People’s average travel time will only decrease by five minutes, but the damage to the environment will be irreparable.”

Khan said the government had other options to reduce the traffic load and the department concerned should work on those possibilities. “The LBC believes in developing infrastructure but doesn’t want the development to come at the cost of increasing air pollution - it’s a matter of our and the coming generation’s lives,” he said. The World Health Organisation showed the city’s air pollution level had increased eightfold since the year 1999, he added.

He praised Pakistan’s chief justice’s action on the issue, and the government’s decision to carry out an EIA and meet stakeholders before starting the project.

LBC members Rafay Alam, Dr Ijaz Anwar, Faryal Gohar, Eram Aftab, Imrana Tiwana and Rashid Rasheed also spoke on the occasion. Rafay Alam said the agency starting the project had legal obligations to adhere to. “The government is legally bound to fulfil the requirements of carrying out an EIA and asking for public opinion before initiating such a project,” he added.

“The project does not benefit the people,” said Imrana. The government was taking ad hoc decisions and should pursue other feasible options, she said. Lahore had its own culture, history and atmosphere and the LBC would not allow anyone to change the city by felling trees, she added.

Anwar highlighted the importance of trees along Lahore’s canal and their relevance to the city’s history. “Trees are essential for a healthy environment and people have the right to protest against development that endangers their atmosphere,” he added.

Faryal Gohar said that motorists required roads but the trees were of prime importance for poor people. “The people are being deprived of their rights in a democratic government, and they should be concerned about the issue,” she added.

Home | Lahore

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Rejected Phase VII applicants will be refunded in July

* Lists of successful candidates will be made public at Defence Auditorium, Defence Club, DHA office, DHA’s website

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) will return deposits by the end of July to applicants who did not get plots by ballot for Phase VII and will also return the processing fee to widow applicants who did not get plots during balloting.

DHA administrator Brig Fazal Nawaz Khan told the balloting ceremony at Defence Auditorium on Friday that the balloting was the 10th of its kind in DHA and the largest for Lahore DHA.

Giving details of Phase VII, he said plots were being provided at subsidised rates and DHA would bear a total subsidy of Rs 2.58 billion. He said, “A kanal costs DHA Rs 1.1 million and it is selling a kanal for Rs 0.9 million, which is a Rs 0.2 million subsidy. Phase VII is the largest phase in DHA, as it consists of 26,000 kanals. Many value added products will also be included in the project.”

He said Phase VII would build according to international standards and would include five 150-feet-wide main roads and many 100-feet-wide roads. He also said all streets would be 50 feet wide.

He said DHA would build two mosques, two central commercial areas of 105 kanals each, parks in each sector varying from 25 kanals to 75 kanals in size, two schools on 50 kanals each, a community centre of 120 kanals, a hospital of 50 kanals, a theme park on 250 acres, a golf course and an engineering university for which DHA had reserved 100 acres.

The Defence Auditorium was full of people and as soon as the balloting started people started demanding the results be shown on the large screens DHA had installed in the hall. After about 10 minutes, people started asking for the display of names and not ID card numbers.

DHA said the lists of people getting plots would be displayed in Defence Auditorium, Defence Club, the DHA office and on DHA’s website as soon as balloting ended. DHA will also make the results public in Sunday’s newspapers.

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\01\story_1-7-2006_pg13_1Where does the subsidy come from?

LAHORE: According to independent analysts present at the balloting, DHA might have arranged the subsidy from the deposits it received in shape of a Rs 5,000 non-refundable fee and Rs 75,000 as refundable development charges. They said that according to a rough estimate, DHA had received about 500,000 applications and the sum of total deposits and processing fees was Rs 80,000, which summed up to Rs 40 billion, and that DHA could easily get Rs 400 million from a nominal interest of one percent from banks against the Rs 40 billion. They said banks might offer more against a large sum of Rs 40 billion. They said DHA would get Rs 2.5 billion from the estimated 500,000 applicants under the head of non-refundable processing fee of Rs 5,000. A property dealer said DHA was a welfare project, which worked for the welfare of army officers after they retired. He said DHA preferred to subsidise plots rather than earn money from balloting. staff report

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Saturday, July 01, 2006

Gulberg Town likely to present Rs 264m budget tomorrow

* DGB Town approves Rs 435.23 million, Ravi Town approves Rs 178 million

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The Gulberg Town Council is likely to present a Rs 264 million budget without any new taxes for fiscal year 2006-07 on Sunday, town administration sources told Daily Times on Friday.

They said the town administration was keeping an opening balance of Rs 3.5 million while Rs 210 million had been estimated to be the development expenditure. They said the Rs 210 million would include Rs 110 million for development, Rs 35 million for employees’ salaries (including 15 percent revision in salaries) and the rest for Citizen Community Boards (CCBs) and other financial liabilities.

They said that for the upcoming fiscal year’s receipts of Rs 264 million, the town council had arranged Rs 80 million from tax on transferring immovable property and would get Rs 2.8 million from the Punjab chief minister as a special grant. They also said the town administration would get Rs 75 million from its parent towns including Data Gunj Buksh Town and Nishtar Town. They said the town administration had set aside Rs 1 million for employees’ house building allowance and the same sum would be allocated to pension contribution.

Separately, the Data Gunj Buksh Town Council on Friday approved a Rs 435.23 million budget without any new taxes for fiscal year 2006-07, with a development outlay of Rs 371 million. Naib Nazim Imtiaz Ahmed Awan presided over the budget session held at Ali Hajvery Hall on Friday. Town Nazim Tariq Sana Bajwa presented the budget, which was approved by the council by majority.

The total income for the town is estimated at Rs 462.86 million while expected expenditure is Rs 435.23 million, leaving Rs 27.63 million as surplus.

Rs 42 million has been set aside for employees’ salaries, Rs 10.3 million for compulsory expenditures, Rs 11.9 million for miscellaneous expenditures, Rs 5 million for streetlights, Rs 10 million for the purchase of vehicles and Rs 1 million for women’s welfare.

Also on Friday, the Ravi Town Council approved a Rs 178 million budget without any new taxes for fiscal year 2006-07, with a development outlay of Rs 69.8 million.

The expected income is Rs 180.4 million, which also includes an opening balance of Rs 78.6 million. The total expenditure is estimated at Rs 178 million, leaving Rs 2.4 million as surplus.

Naib Nazim Abid Mustafa presided over the budget session and Nazim Ahad Yousaf presented it, which was approved with a majority vote.

Rs 39.8 million has been marked for paying salaries, Rs 6.1 million for compulsory expenditures and Rs 3.5 million for miscellaneous expenditure.

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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\01\story_1-7-2006_pg7_41

Sunday, July 02, 2006

LAHORE LAHORE AYE: How Lahore has changed

By A Hamid

The Lahore of 1947 has changed in so many ways, some good, some bad. Certain features of its layout and landscape have simply disappeared. Some have changed so much that it is hard to recognise them. Take the Mall and the Regal Cinema crossing.

In one corner of the Mall stood Rankin’s, Lahore’s most fashionable tailoring house, while in the other M Bhatti presided imperiously over his photo studio. Between Bhatti’s studio and Bata’s, there was Shezan Continental. The Bata shop was large and friendly. With its high ceiling, even in summers, it remained cool. I never saw a rush of customers there but it was easily Bata’s prime location in the city. Today, if you walk into any shoe store, there are so many people in it that for a moment you feel half the city has had its shoes stolen.

There were other stores in that row but I no longer remember their names or what they sold. Next to that set of stores and shops lay a long, single-storey building, half of whose rooms housed the offices of the Civil and Military Gazette, Lahore’s oldest English language newspaper, which went out of business I think in 1963. A brass plate bearing Rudyard Kipling’s name was nailed to the wall. Both that building and that plate have since disappeared.

Before Pakistan came into being, I remember coming here off and on with my friend Zahoor ul Hassan Dar, who had his friend Shibli B Com putting together the commerce page of the C&MG, which is what everyone called the Civil and Military Gazette. Shibli’s small room faced the Mall. As you entered it, you were assailed by the smell of chewing tobacco, which he used in his copious intake of betel leaves. He was in his middle years and always wore a lean and bored look. He was a palmist and apart from working for the Civil, he also used to edit the popular literary weekly Alamgir, as well as the monthly, which bore the same name. Shibli BCom and Ehsan BA were both well-known journalists of the time.

The other English language newspaper of Lahore was The Tribune, which also came out of the same building. The press where the two papers were printed was at the back, reachable from the Beadon Road side. That was the route the press workers used. The C&MG building was razed to the ground in later years to make way for an ugly plaza and shopping centre with a basement dotted with small stores, which are always full of shoppers. The Mall itself and its service lanes are now infested with traffic. There are so many cars today on the Mall, and its service lanes, that it is difficult to find a parking space and in case you do manage to find one, when you try to get out, you realise that someone is blocking you. That was not the way it used to be. There was plenty of space for both transport and people.

Next to the C&MG, there was a two-storey building with several stores and shops, one being S Rollo’s photo studio. He was one of Lahore’s fashion photographers and newly married couples of a certain class would often visit the studio to get a formal wedding picture taken. Next to S Rollo was a Chinese dentist, one of whose special skills was fitting people with gold teeth. That was quite a fashionable thing to do in those days and the people who had had one of these expensive teeth put in, would laugh even at things that were not funny in order to, it was apparent, show off. There were two Chinese shoemakers in the same line of stores. One of them was called Hopson, the other Kingson. Their handmade shoes were of such fine quality that even Lahore’s uneven roads could not do them much harm. Chinese dentists and shoemakers spoke fluent Urdu and Punjabi but to one another they only spoke in Chinese. With time, both they and their shops disappeared.

Next to the Chinese shoemakers was my favourite shop, the Kashmir Store, which sold perfumes, expensive after-shave lotions and colognes and even neckties and handkerchiefs. Whenever some of my friends or I had some money, we would make our way to Kashmir Store and buy Tootal neckties and Czechoslovakian-made handkerchiefs. (Where have Tootal ties gone?) Then there was the Indus Hotel, which is now something else. If you turned left from Indus Hotel, you were in Victoria Park, where the painter Moeen Najmi had his studio. The actress Sabiha Khanum also lived in one of the houses on that estate, as did the sweet-voice Mohini Hamid of Radio Pakistan, known to all children as Aapa Shamim. An unpaved track led you through Victoria Park to Cooper Road where the Islamia College for Women stood.

Close to where the Beadon Road joins the Mall, in a broad side street lived the sculptor, painter and commercial artist Ozzir Zuby. Also located in this street on the third floor of a building was the office of the newspaper Nawa-i-Waqt. You had to climb the stairs from the street and once you were on the third floor, the first person you ran into was a man with a hennaed beard and thick glasses who was either the head clerk or accountant. That was where I first saw the celebrated reporter of his time, Mian Muhammad Shafi, known far and wide as Meem Sheen. I found him talking animatedly on the phone to an English newspaper’s editor, with Hamid Nizami sitting across the table from him, a faint smile playing on his lips. The Nawa-i-Waqt moved to Queens Road sometime in the 1960s, perhaps even earlier.

Zuby had already built himself quite a reputation as a sculptor and a designer when I met him. He it was who designed the dust jacket of my novel Jangal Rotay Hain. He once set up a studio on the hill that stands in the middle of Lawrence Garden. Some years later, the painter Sadequain put up a studio on that Hill. It is the same Hill in whose open air theatre the annual music conference used to be held under the baton of the late Hayat Ahmed Khan.

It is many years since I visited some of those old haunts of mine, especially Victoria Park. I fear if I do that today, I might lose my way. The thing with me is that I want to stay with familiar sights, sounds and memories. That is where I am happy and comfortable. Is that escapism? I don’t know. What I do know is that a part of me still lives in those old times with old friends, old roads and neighbourhoods, old restaurants and even old regrets. That is my world, though I live in the here and now.

A Hamid, the distinguished Urdu novelist and short story writer, writes a column every week based on his memories of old Lahore. Translated from the Urdu by Khalid Hasan.

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http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\02\story_2-7-2006_pg7_27

CM to inaugurate three industrial units at SIE

LAHORE, July 1 (APP)- Three industrial units will become operational at Sundar Industrial Estate next week.

"Gas supply to the units has begun; and they may be commissioned any time next week," chairman Punjab Industrial Estates (PIE) Development and Management Company, Mohsin M. Syed told APP here Saturday.

He said that Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi will be the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of these units from the textile, plastic and engineering sectors.

He said that 50 more units were under construction and hoped that the entire estate would be colonized soon.

Mohsin Syed said that PIE would spin off the SIE project to its board after all units become operational.

www.app.com.pk

colour of sarrac tower has now changed, i hope this tower gets made it has a very unique and creative design and its very futureistic, but i liked the old one was much better.

http://www.***************/projects/commercial/37.jpg

Monday, July 03, 2006

PU okays Rs 2 million for Music Department

LAHORE: Punjab University’s (PU) syndicate approved Rs 2 million for its Musicology Department in the 2006-07 annual budget, disregarding Islami Jamiat Talaba’s (IJT) strong opposition to music classes in the university. Insiders told Daily Times that some IJT sympathisers misinformed the media after the syndicate meeting, saying the meeting had rejected the idea of a Music department. A PU spokesman said the Musicology Department was not on agenda but its budget was approved in the meeting. He said there was a debate on the issue but it was decided that the Musicology course would be sent to the Academic Council for approval. Using his special powers under Section 15 (3) of the PU Calendar, the vice chancellor could have passed the course, he said, adding that the Board of Studies had approved the course. The Rs 2 million were allocated under the budget for College of Art and Design (CAD) and the syndicate approved it consensually, said PU Registrar Prof Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan. The CAD planned to begin several Performing Arts courses this year, he said, including music. The university would encourage all other departments to add music clubs to their extra curricular societies, he added. The Punjab University had decided to set up a Music Department and begin a two-year Master’s Degree in Musicology, following Governor Khalid Maqbool’s directions a few months ago. The IJT said it would resist the plan because it was “against Islam and the ideology of Pakistan”. The university was meant to follow “Islamic ideology”, they said, refusing to allow music classes on campus. ali waqar

Home | Lahore

Rs.120 mln released for Nishtar Park Sports Complex, Lahore
Updated at 1830 PST
Lahore: Government of Pakistan has released Rupees (Rs) 120 millions for three new projects of Nishtar Park Sports Complex, Lahore on Monday.

PSB spokesman informed Geo TV that the amount was particularly allocated for Cycling velodrome, Boxing Gymnasium and National Coaching and Training Center’s hostel.

He further informed that the new Cycling velodrome that will cost Rs. 4.71 millions would be spread over the area of 35 kanal and will accommodate nearly 2500 spectators.

The boxing gymnasium would facilitate all the indoor games for which Rs. 40 million has been allocated, while the government has released Rs. 3.47 millions for the 100-room hostel for National Coaching and Training Center.

colour of sarrac tower has now changed, i hope this tower gets made it has a very unique and creative design and its very futureistic, but i liked the old one was much better.

http://www.***************/projects/commercial/37.jpg

hey does any1 have the first design...plz post it..

LDA Avenue to be completed in one year



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: District Nazim Main Amer Mehmood has said that development work in the LDA residential sheme for government officials will be completed as per schedule within a time period of one year.

Addressing a meeting Monday, he said LDA would spend Rs 1.472 billion on providing basic facilities in the society situated on Raiwind Road.

The nazim said the residents of LDA Avenue one Housing scheme would enjoy all the modern residential facilities. He said a 16-kanal community centre would also be built. “The building will have two big halls, a kitchen, decoration room, store, office and wash rooms,” he added.

The project would be completed in eight months at a cost of Rs 10.2 million. The construction of mosque on nine kanals of land has also been started. This project would also be completed within eight months at a cost of Rs 10 million.

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excellent news cant wait for this project to be completed, it will be the gulberg of new lahore.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Amendments to commercial building bylaws:

DHA looking to attract foreign investment

* Commercial plots can be merged and height of structures can be increased to 94 feet on plots of more than 32 marlas

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) is going to amend its construction bylaws for commercial areas of Phase V and newer phases to allow commercial plots to be merged and increase the height of structures to 94 feet on plots of more than 32 marlas.

Sources in DHA told Daily Times on Tuesday that the housing authority had decided to amend the bylaws for its commercial areas to attract investment, especially foreign, in the form of shopping malls etc. They said the draft had been finalised and would be signed and approved soon.

Sources said the proposed amendments had stated that people could merge their commercial plots into whatever size they wanted and would also be able to increase the height of their structures to 94 feet. They said the structures could include basements, ground floors, mezzanines and six floors if the size of the plot was more than 32 marlas.

Structures on plots of 20 marlas to 32 marlas could consist of basements, ground floors, mezzanines and five floors and could be 83 feet high. Structures on plots of four marlas to 20 marlas could consist of basements, ground floors, mezzanines and four floors and could be 72 feet high.

Earlier, sources said, DHA had stopped people from merging commercial plots or constructing buildings more than three storeys high because of which the floor-area-ratio against investments and their returns were not feasible. Sources said DHA had been facing problems because its commercial plots were expensive and investment returns very low.

A DHA official said investors, traders and owners of commercial land or commercial buildings had proposed the amendments several times. He said the DHA management had formed a committee to look at the issue and it came up with the amendments after thorough research.

Waheed Kazim, a property dealer in DHA, said the sale and purchase of commercial buildings had stopped ages ago because of the high prices and the impending amendments would help investors and others in the new phases.

“The amendments will attract investors, who had earlier wished to invest in residential plots but not in commercial plots,” he said. However, he said, DHA should also extend the same facility to existing phases so that those who had invested in DHA earlier could get higher returns.

DHA Secretary Colonel Amir Ayub said the amendments would make commercial activity viable for investors and help DHA attract foreign investment.

He also said DHA had made land transfer rules for expatriates easier and now they (expatriates) did not have to be present to get land transferred.

Asked why the DHA management was not extending the same easy-land-transfer system to commercial plots in its existing phases, he said the housing authority did not want to create a fuss in its existing commercial areas because then it would have to provide extra parking, electrify areas and deal with other infrastructure issues.

He said DHA had planned to widen roads around the commercial areas of Phase V and other upcoming phases, keeping in mind the expected multi-storey buildings, shopping plazas, cinema halls and stores.

Told that multi-storey buildings could create privacy issues for DHA residents, he said there would be no such problems because DHA had already planned the buildings such that no privacy issues would come up.

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\05\story_5-7-2006_pg13_1

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Traffic police going for hi-tech ticketing devices

* Traffic police will issue computerised tickets to drivers
* Information will be transferred to server in SSP’s office

By Shahnawaz Khan

LAHORE: Traffic Police will start a Computerised Traffic Violation Ticket (CTVT) system in the city and has given two devices to traffic policemen to test them, Waseem Ahmad Khan Siyal, Traffic senior superintendent of police (SSP), said on Tuesday.

He said the project had begun in the city to improve Traffic Police at the manpower, technology and research levels. He said the first phase of the project was to recruit traffic wardens and the second phase was to start the CTVT project.

He said CTVT devices had been given to Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Mansha on The Mall and ASI Jehangir on Jail Road. He said the traffic policemen would issue computerised violation tickets to drivers and their equipment would be linked to the server installed at his (the SSP’s) office.

He said that traffic policemen would issue three computerised copies of the ticket, one to the violator, one for bank use and one for the Traffic Police. He also said the details of the violation and the driver would be stored in the main server. He said once the project proved to be successful, Traffic Police would cancel the licences of drivers after 10 violations.

He said Traffic Police would also be able to cooperate and provide information to the police through the computerised system. He said the third phase of the project would include putting up Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras on most main roads in the city, which would be linked to a main control room installed at his (the SSP’s) office.

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\05\story_5-7-2006_pg13_4

Rs 264.22m Gulberg Town budget approved

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE - Gulberg Town Council on Monday approved Rs 264.22 million tax-free surplus budget for the fiscal year 2006-07, with a development outlay of Rs 110 million.
Town Nazim Faraz Chaudhry presented the budget, which was approved by the council members with majority vote.
According to the details, Rs 48.212 millions has been allocated for Citizen Community Boards, Rs 25.978 millions for paying the financial liabilities and Rs 35.028 millions for paying the salaries.
In the budget speech, the town nazim said that various development schemes including beautification of liberty market, improvement of all major roads, clearance of encroachments, cattle eviction, provision of street lights, collection of revenue through banks, welfare of women and the computerisation of town record would be started during the financial year. He said that sufficient funds have been allocated for the development schemes while transparency would be ensured in all the projects.

Canal Road tree-cutting will lead to migration of birds

BY IQTIDAR GILANI
LAHORE - Removal of thousands of trees along the canal bank road to make way for an extra lane and a hard shoulder will led to migration of birds and other living creatures, thereby disturbing the ecosystem which will have its own side effects, say experts.
The experts contend that the widening of canal road will not only lead to pulling down of trees and depriving the huge area of its vegetation, but also cause the birds to migrate to other places.
Living creatures including parrots, pigeons, dove species, horn bill, whag tail, king fisher, bee eaters, hoopoe, squirrels, bats, small reptiles and a variety of insects are in danger of losing their natural habitat following the cutting of thousands of trees and small plants.
“Trees are habitat of birds, insects and small reptiles. Living creatures like parrots and squirrels do not make nests and instead live in tree hollows. They will ultimately migrate for other suitable places with no more trees there. Large scale migration from the canal bank will lead to trapping of birds and other living creatures at the hands of traders,” said Uzma Khan, Species Focal Person WWF-Pakistan.
She revealed that specific areas have their own carrying capacity and population of these birds and living creatures could decline in the wake of competition for survival.
“Acts like cutting down trees and plants at a large scale along the canal bank will disturb the ecosystem as the birds, reptiles, insects and other living creatures have their own role and importance in maintaining ecological equilibrium,” she cautioned.
“Some birds and living creatures help in regeneration by playing role of seeds career. Squirrels and even fruit bats help in dispersal of seeds. Insect bat has its own importance as it can eat approximately 1,000 insects in one hour. Hoopoe eats earthworm and insects and thus helps maintaining the insect’s population to a required level. Insects help in soil fertilisation. They help in decomposition of fallen leaves and release nutrients that increase soil fertility,” she contended.
To pave way for the expansion of canal road and provision of other facilities including service lane for the commuters, TEPA will have to pull down 13,000 small and big trees. A good number of fruit trees including Jamin and Mango have been marked for cutting down.
Massacre of trees for the sake of development will disturb ecological equilibrium and damage aesthetic outlook in the absence of beautiful birds.
“Trees and presence of birds have aesthetic value. Existence of trees and wild life makes healthy environment. Tree-cutting and consequent migration of living creatures will damage the aesthetic outlook that will increase stress value in citizens travelling along the canal,” Uzma Khan said adding that tree-cutting would further increase the pollution level in Lahore Canal.
“Fruit trees are equally important for birds and human beings.
Birds get their food while some people earn their livelihood by selling fallen fruits from these trees,” she said adding that removal of trees would deprive these people from their livelihood.

Plan to renovate major City roads

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE - City District Government will renovate important city roads at a cost of Rs 1.2 billion besides spending Rs 100 million for purchasing a new pre-mix plant used for preparing road construction material during the current fiscal year.
District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood told this while chairing a meeting here at Jinnah Hall on Tuesday.
The nazim said the CDG had devised this project for facilitating flow of all types of traffic in general and public transport in particular and for further promoting commercial and business activities in the city.
He said major roads to be repaired under this project pass through busy commercial areas of the city and call for urgent attention.
These roads include Bahawalpur Road from Qurtaba Chowk to Chouburji, Egerton Road, Empress Road, Allama Iqbal Road, Mcleod Road, Lytton Road, Hall Road and Beadon Road, he disclosed.
He said Circular Road from Aik Moria Pul to Fort Road crossing would also be repaired at a cost of Rs 12 million.
The CDG would also spend Rs 5 million for constructing a 2.5 kilometers long road from Narwar to Wahga Railway station for convenience of rural population of that locality, the district nazim disclosed.

some updates

big city mall
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/4854/mainboulevardgulberglahore9fh.jpg

IT tower
http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/9100/ittowerunderconstructioninlaho.jpg

UAE delegation calls on CM
A delegation of an investment company of United Arab Emirates, Emmar Properties called on Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi at Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Wednesday. The delegation was led by Managing Director of Emmar Properties, Muhammad Al-Falasi. Matters regarding investment opportunities in Punjab and other affairs were discussed in the meeting. Secretary Investment and Commerce Saeed Ahmad Alvi and Secretary Housing Khalid Sultan were also present on this occasion.
The chief minister said a number of international investment companies are showing keen interest in various projects in Punjab due to highly favourable investment climate existing in the province. He said all out facilities would be provided to foreign investors in Punjab.
Managing Director Emmar Properties, Muhammad Al-Falasi said Emmar Properties is deeply interested in investment in Punjab. He said Emmar group is playing an important role in hotel industry, housing, shopping malls, construction of offices and towers, golf courses and provision of recreational facilities in various countries of the world. He said the group would soon take practical steps for investment in various development sectors in Punjab.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/6/localnews5.php

LAHORE: “We never made false claims of converting Lahore into Paris, and our aim is to restore the city’s original looks by providing people basic amenities,” said Lahore Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood while presiding over a meeting at Jinnah Hall on Thursday.

Mian Amer said that Rs 237 million would be spent on improving health facilities in Lahore this year. He said that five new dispensaries would be built at a cost of Rs 17 million in Township............

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\07\story_7-7-2006_pg13_1


:runaway:

Friday, July 07, 2006

Computerised electricity meters for Liberty Market soon

* Lakhsmi Chowk excluded from plan because of complications

By Faizan Bangash

LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has planned to install computerised electricity meters in Liberty and will invite bids from different companies if the pilot project proves successful.

LESCO sources told Daily Times on Thursday that the plan was part of a pilot project that had been set up to avoid complaints by consumers of excessive billing and other meter related problems.

LESCO Chief Akram Arain told Daily Times that the plan was under way and Liberty would be taken as a “trial zone”. “Liberty is a compact commercial area and will be a better ‘trial zone’ for the computerised meters and if the project is successful it will continue,” said Arain. He also said the computerised meters would be connected directly to the main server.

The LESCO chief said the company would announce invitation for bids on the meters soon if the plan was successful. He said LESCO had installed 160,000 energy saving meters were installed last year and this year LESCO had arranged 175,000 meters for consumers. When asked about the details of the plan, a senior LESCO official said the same plan was also announced for Lakshmi Chowk, but LESCO withdrew it and the company was now focusing on Liberty.

The LESCO official said Lakhsmi Chowk was chosen as a zone to install the computerised electricity meters, but the plan could not be carried because of maintenance problems in the area.

Shopkeepers and residents of Liberty have commended the LESCO’s plan, saying it was good for consumers. Liberty Market Association Chairman Safdar Ali Butt said, “Its good if LESCO is installing computerised meters, but the important thing is for the plan to be given practical shape.” Liberty Market Association Senior Vice Chairman Rizwan Shamsi said, “Excessive billing is a common practice and must be stopped, if LESCO is taking measures to prevent this from occurring, it is welcomed.”

Home | Lahore

Friday, July 07, 2006

Computerised electricity meters for Liberty Market soon

* Lakhsmi Chowk excluded from plan because of complications

By Faizan Bangash

LAHORE: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) has planned to install computerised electricity meters in Liberty and will invite bids from different companies if the pilot project proves successful.

LESCO sources told Daily Times on Thursday that the plan was part of a pilot project that had been set up to avoid complaints by consumers of excessive billing and other meter related problems.

LESCO Chief Akram Arain told Daily Times that the plan was under way and Liberty would be taken as a “trial zone”. “Liberty is a compact commercial area and will be a better ‘trial zone’ for the computerised meters and if the project is successful it will continue,” said Arain. He also said the computerised meters would be connected directly to the main server.

The LESCO chief said the company would announce invitation for bids on the meters soon if the plan was successful. He said LESCO had installed 160,000 energy saving meters were installed last year and this year LESCO had arranged 175,000 meters for consumers. When asked about the details of the plan, a senior LESCO official said the same plan was also announced for Lakshmi Chowk, but LESCO withdrew it and the company was now focusing on Liberty.

The LESCO official said Lakhsmi Chowk was chosen as a zone to install the computerised electricity meters, but the plan could not be carried because of maintenance problems in the area.

Shopkeepers and residents of Liberty have commended the LESCO’s plan, saying it was good for consumers. Liberty Market Association Chairman Safdar Ali Butt said, “Its good if LESCO is installing computerised meters, but the important thing is for the plan to be given practical shape.” Liberty Market Association Senior Vice Chairman Rizwan Shamsi said, “Excessive billing is a common practice and must be stopped, if LESCO is taking measures to prevent this from occurring, it is welcomed.”

Home | Lahore

Friday, July 07, 2006

LHC dismisses IMAX petition

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) full bench on Thursday dismissed a petition by Shehri Citizens for a Better Environment, a non-government organisation, challenging the construction of IMAX Theatre at Mini Market Ground, Gulberg.

The bench consisting of Justice Sakhi Hussain Bukhari, Justice Bilal Khan and Justice Fazle Miran Chohan also adjourned the hearing of a petition against the transfer of the Mini Market Ground to the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) to July 10 and directed respondents to file parawise comments.

On July 3, the court had directed Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, the NGO’s counsel, to appeal the case before any other bench. Shah had objected that the bench could not hear the petition because Justice Khan had already heard an appeal and suspended Justice Akhter’s interim orders. “The full bench must include the judge who admitted the writ petition and granted interim relief,” he said. staff report

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\07\story_7-7-2006_pg13_5

here r some more images and updates of Lahore:
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/3721/dsci00185kq.jpg
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5371/dsci00271ff.jpg
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/16/dsci00290wd.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/5766/dsci01198gl.jpg

wonderfull, keep posting more

http://www.greatmirror.com/images/medium/017584.jpg

now tht is a good picture.

Elahi says Sundar Industrial Estate will be complete by 2007

* PIEDMC planning industrial estates in Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Gujrat
* CM says govt will provide 20,000 direct and 200,000 indirect jobs

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Saturday that 140 industrial units at Sundar Industrial Estate Lahore would be operational by 2007 and would provide 20,000 direct and 200,000 indirect jobs to people.

A release quoted Elahi as telling a meeting at CM’s Secretariat that Rs 6 billion had already been invested in the infrastructure and factories at the estate. He also ordered the Punjab Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (PIEDMC) to plan new industrial estates in Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Gujrat and other cities and to accelerate the pace of industrial development.

The meeting was called to review the performance of PIEDMC, Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate in Kot Lakhpat and Multan Industrial Estate.

Elahi said the first phase of the Multan Industrial Estate’s rehabilitation had been completed and that 124 factories were operational. He said the second phase would start soon. He also said a Rs 50 million two-lane road built at Multan Industrial Estate would help transport and be a positive impact on industry.

Elahi said 22 tanneries at Multan Industrial Estate should be moved out because they were polluting the area. He said the government would provide Rs 25 million to the owners of the tanneries for their relocation since they employed 2,000 people. He said that combined treatment effluent plants would also be installed at the Multan and Sundar Industrial Estates, costing Rs 700 million each, to monitor industrial pollution.

He said 150,000 trees would be planted at Sundar Industrial Estate and that the construction of new roads, sewerage and sanitation systems and other facilities at Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate had encouraged industrial development.

Elahi said the plan to accelerate industrialisation through managing industrial estates had proved beneficial. He said a programme to rehabilitate industrial estates had been started in the province.

He said Germany and Sweden were setting up universities in Sialkot near the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway. He said PIEDMC should help set up industrial zones near the schools. staff report

Looks like PC Lahore adding two more floors on their existing building
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/892/picture0011xs.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1687/picture0043cr1.jpg

ye construction on it has been happening for a while now.

Call to protect City from pollution, urbanisation

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE – An array of experts, including top-ranking officials, intellectuals, architects and urban planners on Sunday examined the past, present and future of Lahore in a lively debate held at a local hotel under the auspices of Pakistan Thinkers Forum, calling upon the government to preserve the true character of the city presently under threat from growing pollution and urbanisation. The Pakistan Thinkers Forum called upon the government to revise master plan for Lahore in the light of changing times and then its implementation in letter and spirit.
All the speakers spent their lives in Lahore and contributed to the development of the city one way or the other, starting from Shahid Hamid who served as bureaucrat and governor Punjab. Similarly, changes in the landscape of the city are also not new to Mian Amer Mahmood, born and brought up in Lahore.
Other speakers including Dr Pervaiz Hassan, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Khushal Khan, Nayyar Ali Dada, Faqeer Ijaz-ud-Din and Dr Nasrullah Rana also spend a good time in the city and played their role in the development of Lahore. District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood, who presided over the seminar, said the government was concerned over the environment and it would not initiate Canal Bank Road Project without carrying out EIA and taking the stakeholders into confidence.
He said the NESPAK would prepare EIA report and all the pros and cons would be taken into account before starting the project. He said the Lahore High Court took a landmark decision that would help reduce pollution in the City. The City District Government has established the first organised landfill site in the country, he added.
He said all the new buses would be CNG-fitted and two-stroke rickshaws would be phased out till December 2007.
He said the govt was promoting CNG rickshaws, adding that it knew the importance of trees but development was also necessary. Efficient road infrastructure is required to cater to the requirements of future, he maintained.
“Population of Lahore is growing at a rapid pace and it is becoming a business-hub. Dhubi Group is investing 600 million dollars in Lahore. Skyscrapers will be constructed in the City. Six-lane road from Wahga will join Lahore Ring Road and Canal Bank Road. The Canal Road will cater to easterly traffic. Investors need efficient means of communication. 60 percent of the trees needed to be cut down are Eucalyptus. They should be removed to stop rapid decrease in the ground water level”, he asserted. He said proper care would be given to the environment and the project would not be started without carrying out EIA.
He said Light Transit Rail Project would be started during the ongoing year. He said the lack of enforcement mechanism was hindering the CDG from removing the menace of adulteration from the city.
Former Governor and Pakistan Thinkers Forum chairman Shahid Hamid stressed upon proper public-private partnership to resolve the problems being faced in the City and the country.
He said cleaner fuel such as lead-free petrol and CNG was the right answer to the prevailing problem of pollution.
He welcomed governments’ assurance that no project would be started without carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment and taking the stakeholders into confidence.
Dr Pervaiz Hassan said Lahore had become the city of challenges. He stressed upon public-private partnership to face the challenges of present and future.
He said the confrontation should be avoided and everybody should come forward to play his own role. He appreciated the role of media in highlighting the issues relating to the environment.
Kamil Khan Mumtaz said the development would further intensify the traffic problems.
He said, instead of widening the roads, the government should take measures to reduce traffic.
Khushal Khan said the feasibility report of Light Rail Mass Transit System was in the final stage of its completion and the project would be started during the current year. He said the govt was establishing special lanes for public transport buses and traffic signals.
He said the EIA would be carried out before starting Canal Bank Road Project, adding the TEPA had always avoided unnecessary cutting of trees in all its previous projects. Nayyar Ali Dada stressed upon maintaining a balance between development and environment issues.
He said converting Lahore into Hong Kong would be disastrous and against the interests of the people and added that a vision was required to preserve the cultural heritage and environment of Lahore.
Faqeer Ijaz-ud-Din, Dr Nasrullah Rana and Shaukat Nawaz also addressed the seminar

'Canal road linked other major roads'

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE – Highlighting the importance of Lahore Canal Road Project, Managing Director TEPA Air Commodore (r) Khalid Bashir Cheema said it was the only longest road in the city that linked other major roads including Allama Iqbal Road, The Mall, Jail Road, Multan and Ferozepur Road.
In the presentation, he said, according to the international standards, one lane could accommodate 30,000 vehicles per day. “While the situation is adverse here at the 14-km long Lahore Canal Road, which is evident from the fact that 218,000 vehicles are plying daily between Jail Road and Ferozepur Road,” he maintained.
He informed 160,000 and 180,000 vehicles were passing from the Dharampura to The Mall Road and from The Mall to Jail Road underpasses, respectively. Lahore Canal Road is taking double traffic at certain places than its designed capacity, he further said. After the opening of the government and private schools, Cheema said, the number of vehicles would increase by 25 to 30 percent.
He said almost 1843 trees were needed to be removed for carrying out the project, adding that the City govt was planing to plant more than 100,000 fast growing trees along Canal Road.
during this monsoon.
He said the project would be started after approval of Environment Impact Assessment report that would be carried out by the NESPAK.
All the stakeholders would be taken into confidence before starting the project of widening of Canal Bank Road, He assured.

Rs 1.15 billion uplift schemes approved

By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE - The Planning &Development Board has approved a number of development schemes for Multan worth Rs 1.15 billion, including the construction of a hostel, doctors' residences and provision of modern medical equipment for Multan Institute of Cardiology, two dual carriage bypasses and laying of sewer line from Chungi No 22 to old Shujabad Disposal Station and adjacent areas.
This approval was given at Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) presided over by Suleman Ghani, Chairman Planning & Development Board, held here on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Secretary P&D, Sohail Ahmad and other senior officers of the departments concerned.
The committee reviewed all the schemes presented in the meting and approved most of them and deferring a scheme about construction of a postgraduate medical institute at Lahore General Hospital, says an official handout. http://nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/13/localnews4.php

Mian Amer says City needs infrastructure development

LAHORE – District Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood has said the city need infrastructure development to attract foreign investment and to cater to the needs of local population facing acute traffic congestion besides trade with India is opening up through Wagha which necessitates the expansion of Lahore Canal Road.
Lahore is becoming a focal point of economic activities. Trade with India is opening up. Talks of giving India corridor to access Central Asia are in the air and the prospects of investment are also very bright. All that is possible when we have proper infrastructure. Expansion of Canal Road is an attempt to improve infrastructure of the city, the District Nazim asserted.
However, the government will only launch this project after its environment impact assessment.
He was speaking at seminar at Hameed Nizami Hall, held under the auspices of The Nation here on Monday, wrapping a lively debate on whether trees should be removed to make way for the expansion of canal road, the city’s most beautiful road, and whether development or infrastructure should be developed at the cost of environment.
All the stakeholders participated in the debate including the members of Lahore Bachoo Committee, environmentalists, urban planner, lawyers, and people from different walks of life.
On this occasion, the speakers and audience took stock of various aspects of canal road expansion for and against it from the point of view of heritage and environment.
Underlining the steps being taken to improve the traffic scene in the city, Amer said that City Government was establishing General Bus Stand near Thokar Niaz Baigh to divert traffic flow from walled city to the far-flung areas. Moreover, a new traffic police is being created to man the Lahore roads on the pattern of Motorway police. This police will start functioning by next year. The District Nazim said that the widening of Lahore Canal Road would not only cater to the future needs when the traffic would be enhanced manifold, but also play a key role in removing traffic problems on other roads, including Allama Iqbal Road, Jail Road, Ferozepur and the Mall Road. These roads remain choked most of the time and widening of canal road will ease traffic here, he added.
The city Nazim said that the Chief Minster Punjab had approved a project of Rs. 170 million out of which the city government has got 150 million. The funds are being utilised to upgrade drainage system alongside the Lahore canal road. This will save the canal from the sewerage water being pumped into it at the present. He said that there were no five star hotels of international standard except one in the provincial capital to accommodate the ever-increasing influx of foreigners.
Besides, almost each and every main road of the city remained choked with traffic while the Lahore canal Road is the most affected as it is linked to the various roads. He rejected the allegations that decision of widening the road had been taken arbitrarily and in ‘isolation’. He said the concerned department sought public opinion through media in which at least 600 people supported the idea. He assured that project would be launched after its Environment Impact Assessment, which would be carried out by NESPAK. The District Nazim said the government would also consult various stakeholders before starting this project.
He said that the project of Light Transit Rail could not see the light of the day as no government ever attempted to pick up the project. “Credit goes to this government for initiating this project and soon people will avail its services” Amer said.
The City Government has initiated a programme under which 50,000 4-stroke auto rickshaws equipped with CNGs will be given to the people, replacing the old, smoke emitting two-stroke rickshaws. The City Government is sanctioning new routes to only those local passenger buses with CNG system.
To another query he said that government has decided to start shuttle service from Shahdara to City Raiwind to reduce pressure on the roads.
Responding another questioner he said that government is removing eucalyptus trees as due to them water level has gone down.
http://nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/11/localnews2.php

Any news on this ring road?

C&W to construct several new roads

LAHORE: An amount of Rs 2.217 billion had been approved for the construction of three sections of Lahore Ring Road (LRR) Saggian interchange and roads from Saggian Chowk to the Gulshan Ravi intersection and Lakhu Dair to GT Road, said the provincial minister for Communication and Works (C&W) Chaudhry Zaheerud Din Khan in a meeting.

According to a press statement on Thursday, the meeting was told that the work on Saggian interchange had been started at the cost of Rs 1.3 billion. Rs 395.1 million would be spent on the construction of a road from Saggian Chowk to the Gulshan Ravi intersection and would be completed in five months. The road from Lakhu Dair to GT Road intersection would be completed in six months at a total cost of Rs 541.45 million.

Zaheer directed the secretary for C&W to organize special teams to check on the pace of work and the quality of material. He said that he himself would inspect the site and stern action would be taken against any officer or contractor, should any irregularity occur.

The secretary for C&W Ahmed Yar Khan, additional technical secretary Masood-ur-Rasool, chief highway engineer Muhammad Iqbal, superintending engineer Munir Bashir and executive engineer for Road Construction Sarfaraz Butt were also present at the meeting. staff report

by the way, How long will it take for the ring road to complete if the construcion goes on at this pace?

work on ring road in front of LHR airport is going on on pretty fast pace

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/247/1123/320/Lahore%20-%208th%20Feb%20(8).jpg

^^ Remember this horrible building. Finally its getting a new facade, dark green translucent glass (not very reflective) , fresh paint and they are taking all the advertisment boards off.

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Amer directs early completion of road project

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE - District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood has directed to complete Allama Iqbal Town Main Boulevard rehabilitation project within two months so that Rs 150 million project could be completed during the current fiscal year.
He was chairing a meeting to review the project at his office at Jinnah Hall on Thursday. Samanabad Town Nazim Mian Javed Ali, Chief Engineer LDA Asif Hameed Khan, Director Roads Ch Abdur Rab and other officials concerned attended the meeting.
He directed LDA officials to establish close liaison with concerned agencies for ensuring uninterrupted supply of public utility services to the residents during the period of execution of this project. He directed for constructing road drain on both sides for quickest discharge of rainwater besides constructing bus bays, shelters and making sitting arrangements for commuters of public transport on this road.
Chief Engineer LDA Asif Hameed Khan informed the meeting that this 2.5 kilometers long boulevard was presently 24 feet wide on both sides. It would be widened to 30 feet and a third traffic lane would be added to the existing road on either side. The central median would be reduced from 8 to 5 feet besides expanding service roads on both sides of this road from existing 12 to 18 feet. Parking space would be earmarked all along the road, which would help discouraging encroachments. The Chief Engineer told the meeting that four bus bays would be constructed along this road and provision had been made for installation of streetlights of international standard in the median. Road drain would be covered and could be used as walkway by pedestrians, he said.

Petition against Imax Theatre construction moved in SC

By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE - A public interest constitution petition has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking directions to stop the construction at the site of Imax Theatre at MM Alam Road Lahore which started soon after a full bench of the Lahore High Court dismissed the petition due to non-appearance of petitioner’s counsel on July 06.
The petition moved by Shehri, a NGO, and others through Mansoor Ali Shah advocate, claiming that as the case was dismissed for non-prosecution, the respondents government departments resumed construction in less than two hours after the said dismissal.
He said the government had never performed so efficiently before, despite the fact that the Supreme Court had granted stay order in March and the government started construction without seeking clarification from SC.
He said Justice Sayeed Akhtar had stayed the construction of Imax project in February but a division bench had vacated the stay; later the petitioner challenged it in SC, which restored the order of single bench and referred the matter to LHC.
The LHC chief justice constituted a full bench for hearing the matter and petitioner objected to the constitution of bench on the plea that Justice M Bilal Khan had heard the matter as head of the DB, therefore, he should not be part of the bench.
However, on July 06, the petitioner counsel did not turn up before the full bench and it dismissed the main petition due to non-prosecution and since that day, the government had started the construction at the project.
The petitioner is of the view that he moved a restoration application but the Registrar’s office had not fixed it before the bench so far. The petitioners said they were denied justice.
He said the valuable rights of the petitioners and the public at large were involved in the case. The efforts of the respondents to convert a ground/park into a cinema is a brazenly hostile act with respect to the rights of the people and the provincial exchequer and lack transparency and authority of law.
The petitioner requested, during the pendency of this constitutional petition, the respondents be restrained from raising further construction or proceedings with the project in any manner.

This building is getting a new facade.

http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/2682/132oo1.jpg

Government to run commuter train in Lahore city: Amer Mehmood

ISLAMABAD, Jul 16 (APP): District Nazim Lahore Mian Amer Mehmood Sunday said that the government would run commuter train to facilitate about 259,000 people and to avoid traffic jams in the city.

Speaking in a PTV programme, he said in the first phase train would be run from Ferozepur to Shahdara adding work in first station would be started during current year from Minar-e-Pakistan.

^^I think news reporter has mixed up commuter train with LRMTS!!


He said the project would be completed in a period of five years.

The train would pass through stations in Raiwind, Kahna Kacha, Jiya Bagha, Kot Lakhpat, Walton, Model Town Courts, Green Town, Cantonment, Lahore Railway Station, Badami Bagh and Shahdara, he added.

To a question he said 80 percent work on Lahore ring road would be completed by the end of 2007 adding ompletion of the road would help signal free drive and to maintain traffic flow.

To another question he said the government was also planning to set up nine schools in towns of Lahore to provide quality education to children free of cost.

He further said every districts of the Punjab has been provided Rs. 15 million for providing missing facilities to schools.

By the end of current year in Lahore every schools would be provided surrounding wall and washroom facility, he added.

He said about 354 government schools have been adopted by the private sector.

www.app.com.pk

Monday, July 17, 2006

Farmers protest govt’s land acquisition for car plant

LAHORE: The Pakistan Labour Party (PLP) and affected farmers have opposed the government’s decision to acquire 1,200 acres of agricultural land for a private company to construct a car assembly plant in Sheikhupura district.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday, PLP General Secretary Farooq Tariq and Anjuman Kissan Mutasreen Mercedes Benz (AKMMB) leaders said that the government was going to acquire agricultural land in Kot Pindi Das near Tehsil Ferozwala to establish a car assembly plant for ‘Coastal Private Limited’. The company also wanted to establish a seven-star hotel and a golf club on the land, but the government had offered farmers just Rs 0.1 to 0.42 million per acre for the land, while the commercial price of the land lay between Rs 3 to Rs 5 million per acre.

Meanwhile, AKMMB General Secretary Rana Asjad Farooq said that it was “prime agricultural land” and produced an estimated 1,715 metric tonnes of wheat and 2,142 tonnes of rice. “The land is commercially valued because it is just 18 kilometres from Lahore, and adjacent to the Motorway near the Kala Shah Kakoo Interchange,” he said.

“Earlier on January 2006, the government approved the estimated cost of 1,200 acres at Rs 750 million (Rs 0.5 million per acre plus acquisition charges of Rs 150 million),” he said, but the price was lowered to Rs 483 million in total on June 2006,” he said.

He said that 250 families of Kot Pindi Das would not allow anybody to take their land at any cost. “The farmers will launch a protest if the decision is not withdrawn by July 30,” he said. He appealed to the prime minister and the Punjab chief minister to address their problems as soon as possible. staff report

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\17\story_17-7-2006_pg13_7

yeah thats right company should pay the market price if to buy the land as it is very important part of our economy.....
car plant would be good but on right land and right price...

article about plazas in lahore, (someone please read and translate)

http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1153230933.gif

Pakboy, you should put above item at following Boulevard heights thread.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=247691&page=2

I have posted news item in English.

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE - Provincial Development Working Party has decided to conduct a feasibility study for remodeling the Canal Bank Road from Dharampura Underpass to Thoker Niaz Baig. An amount of Rs 3.981 million has been sanctioned to conduct study for resolving the traffic problem at the city artery.

The feasibility report would include digitized topographic survey, traffic study, geo-technical investigations, environment impact assessment, environment mitigation plan and project proposals.
The decision was taken in a meeting held here on Tuesday.

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/19/localnews4.php

Report on tree cutting along Canal Road submitted to SC

ISLAMABAD (APP) - The Punjab government has told the Supreme Court of Pakistan that any decision to cut trees on Canal Bank (along Canal Bank Garden) would be taken in the light of the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency’s feasibility report.
According to a press release, the provincial government said that an environment mitigation plan would also help reduce the impact of tree cutting on the environment.
It said that a news report about cutting of 2,000 trees on the Canal Bank (along Canal Bank Garden) was also premature.
It said that it had initiated a plan to consolidate and improve the existing road infrastructure to facilitate market access, mitigate environmental hazards and reduce road accidents through improved road safety North-South Trade Corridor Vision of the Government of Pakistan.
The provincial government also took up a series of projects for construction of seven junctions on Canal Bank Road.
Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) has prepared a PC- II for the appointment of consultants to carry out studies before implementation of the project.
The proposed project falls under the policy and procedures for filing, reviewing and approval of environmental impact assessment report from a regulatory authority. A socio-economic survey would be conducted of communities affected by the projects.
A consultant would arrange stakeholders consultation through Participatory Rapid Appraisal method which involves meetings and interviews with stakeholders, including affected people, people’s representatives, government agencies and members of NGOs working in the area.
The provincial government told the SC that improvement work carried out so far on the Canal Bank Road had only been only confined to creating additional capacity at the crossings, leaving out road sections between the under passes which created bottlenecks.
The TEPA will carry out a feasibility study on increasing the capacity of Canal Bank Road and the Lahore City District Government will implement the project, it said.

LHC notifies govt to stop Imax Theatre construction

By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE - A full bench of the Lahore High Court Tuesday issued notices to Punjab government on two applications, seeking stay of construction at Imax Theatre project at Doongi Ground, Gulberg and restoration of main petition which was last week dismissed due to non-appearance of petitioner's counsel.
On a writ petition, filed by Mohammad and Ahmad through Muhammad Azhar Siddiqui, seeking dissolution of PHA, the court directed the LDA and Parks & Horticulture Authority to file written arguments.
Mohammad Azhar advocate submitted after the dismissal of other writ petition of Sheri-CBE, the construction work had been started and was being carried on the site.
However, Khawaja Saeed-uz-Zafar, counsel for Punjab Entertainment Company, submitted that no construction work was being carried out on the site. Mohammad Azhar objected to the statement given by Khawaja. The court after hearing the arguments of both sides issued notices to respondents.
While on the restoration application, filed by Sheri-CBE, the court directed the respondents to file written reply for a date to be fixed by Registrar's office.
LHC sets aside death sentence
A division bench of the Lahore High Court while setting aside a death sentence, earlier awarded by additional sessions judge Sheikpura, to Safdar alias Safu who had been accused of killing two people in 1998, acquitted him of the charges and ordered his immediate release.
The bench comprising, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and Justice Ijaz Ahmed Ch, held that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubts.
Sardar police had registered a case on the complaint of Afzal, alleging that Safdar had shot dead his brother Ajmal and his friend Munawar on a money dispute. Faisal Malik, a counsel for the accused, pleaded that there was no eyewitness in the case and the statements of other witnesses had also contradicted with the medical evidence.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/19/localnews2.php

^^ Sania this news item already posted probably twice in a seperate "Imax theatre thread...

Another plea against cineplex project




By Our Correspondent

LAHORE, July 19: A Lahore High Court full bench has been moved with the contention that the Punjab Entertainment Company started civil works at the cineplex project at Doongi ground, M M Alam Road, soon after the court dismissed for non-prosecution a writ petition filed by the Karachi-based NGO Shehri-CBE (Citizens for Better Environment) against the project.

Comprising Justice Syed Sakhi Husain Bokhari, Justice Mohammad Bilal Khan and Justice Fazle Miran Chauhan, the LHC bench issued notices to the Punjab government and the PEC on the application of the lawyer-petitioner, Advocate Mohammad Azhar Siddiqui, who has requested the court to issue a direction to the respondents to stop the work on the project.

The court adjourned till July 27 the hearing of the application which will be taken up along with Advocate Azhar’s main writ petition through which he has challenged the project on the plea that a public park can’t be turned into a commercial place.

Advocate Azhar also submitted that the PEC, a public sector commercial corporate body, had misconceived the dismissal of the petition of the Shehri-CBE on technical grounds, particularly when the NGO had already moved the court for the restoration of its writ petition. He submitted that the resumption of the work on the project was an act in malafide intention.

Meanwhile, the same LHC bench issued notices on the application through which the Shehri-CBE moved the court for the restoration of its writ petition. The petitioner pleaded that a public interest petition should be decided on merit and not dismissed merely on technical grounds. This petition will be heard along with the main petition on July 27.


http://www.dawn.com/2006/07/20/nat43.htm

http://www.dawn.com/2006/07/22/SlideShow/pic25.jpg

LAHORE - July 21, 2006: Gardeners at work on the lawns of the Minar-i-Pakistan.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/07/22/SlideShow/pic26.jpg

LAHORE - July 21, 2006: An eye-catching view of the Badshahi Mosque through Ranjeet Singh’s Bara Dari. — APP

Saturday, July 22, 2006

LAHORE: Punjab Communication and Works Minister Chaudhry Zaheerud Din Khan said on Friday that the Thokar Niaz Baig overhead bridge would be completed by the end of this year.

He directed the Highways chief engineer to accelerate the pace of work on the bridge so that the project could be completed within the stipulated period. The minister was reviewing the pace of development work of the bridge, according to a press statement.

More mega projects were being initiated in the provincial capital to reduce traffic pressure on roads, he stated during the inspection. The minister said that work on ring road was also in progress. staff report

DAILYTIMES.COM.PK

Universities, industry to be set up along motorway

LAHORE: Three industrial estates and the campuses of three international universities (two German and one Swedish), will be set up along the planned motorway from Lahore to Sialkot, according to a press statement issued here on Friday.

The matter was discussed in a meeting of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway Steering Committee held under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Secretary (CS) Salman Siddique. The Chairman of Planning and Development, Secretary of Finance, Secretary of Communication and Works and representatives from various departments were also present.

The process of selecting the sites for the universities and industrial estates is in its final stages. The projects are expected to facilitate development and generate thousands of jobs. staff report

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Germany wants to invest in Punjab, says Mulack

Staff Report

LAHORE: Germany was keen to invest in various sectors of social development in Punjab due to the favourable investment atmosphere of the province, said German Ambassador Dr Gunter Mulack in a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervez Elahi at the CM secretariat.

Mulack said Lahore was a city of great cultural and historical significance, and he was delighted to have visited it.

Mulack and Elahi both said relations between Pakistan and Germany, particularly trade relations, were strong and improving steadily.

Elahi said the government was promoting the use of Compact National Gas (CNG), a relatively inexpensive and clean burning fuel, to reduce air pollution. He said a fund of Rs 1 billion had been set up to convert two-stroke rickshaws into four-stroke and to purchase new CNG rickshaws. He added that major reforms in traffic management would be implemented soon.

The CM said the government was taking measures to check pollution and deforestation, starting with planting 150,000 saplings in Lahore and encouraging people to participate directly in forestation campaigns, saying that forests were not only important for controlling environmental pollution but also had a positive impact on the economy and particularly on the socio-economic conditions of farmers.

The CM said the federal government’s potable water programme was being speedily implemented in Punjab, water filtration plants were being set up at the union council level and old and rusty water supply and sewage lines were being replaced.

Aneesur Rehman, the honorary consul of Germany in Lahore, was also at the meeting.

Bryan Hunt meets with CM: American Principal Officer Bryan Hunt met Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at the CM secretariat and discussed matters including mutual US-Pakistan interests and development projects in Punjab.

According to a press release issued here on Friday, the CM said the people of Pakistan were progressive, enlightened and civic minded, constantly striving for social and cultural development. He praised the reforms introduced by President Pervez Musharraf, saying they had produced positive changes across the country.

Elahi welcomed the newly posted Hunt, and expressed the hope that his appointment would further improve relations between Pakistan and the US.

Hunt calls on Maqbool: American Consulate Principal Officer Brian D Hunt called on Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool on Friday at Governor’s House. A representative of General Motors, the American car manufacturing giant, was also at the meeting. Matters including exchange of educational and cultural delegations between Pakistan and the US, technical cooperation for introduction of latest disciplines in Pakistani universities and promotion of American investment also came under discussion.

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\22\story_22-7-2006_pg13_8

Lahore-Pindi bullet train soon, says Rashid



Staff Reporter


LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that a law to control travel without tickets is being drafted and a bill will be moved in parliament soon.

He said this while addressing a press conference at Railways Headquarters Friday. The minister said those travelling without tickets would be awarded at least 48 hours jail.

He told reporters that a German firm quoted the lowest bid for laying a track from Pakistan to China, adding Germany had agreed to provide 15 hydraulic railway engines to Pakistan. Railways Chairman Shakil Durrani and Operations General Manager Salim-ur-Rehman Akhund were also present on the occasion. He said the final decision to purchase the engines would be made after using them on our tracks.

He said that Pakistan Railway (PR) was considering starting a bullet train between Lahore and Rawalpindi with a speed of 250 km/hour. "Asian Development Bank will bear all the expenditure of this project," he said.

He said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would launch Sindh Express on July 24 and it would be the third train PR had launched over the last few weeks. He said an incentive package for railway staffers would be announced soon.

Rashid said that at present 10 freight trains were running from Karachi but PR would achieve the target of 14 freight trains within the next three months.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=50391&catid=3

Lahore-Pindi bullet train soon, says Rashid



Staff Reporter


LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that a law to control travel without tickets is being drafted and a bill will be moved in parliament soon.

He said this while addressing a press conference at Railways Headquarters Friday. The minister said those travelling without tickets would be awarded at least 48 hours jail.

He told reporters that a German firm quoted the lowest bid for laying a track from Pakistan to China, adding Germany had agreed to provide 15 hydraulic railway engines to Pakistan. Railways Chairman Shakil Durrani and Operations General Manager Salim-ur-Rehman Akhund were also present on the occasion. He said the final decision to purchase the engines would be made after using them on our tracks.

He said that Pakistan Railway (PR) was considering starting a bullet train between Lahore and Rawalpindi with a speed of 250 km/hour. "Asian Development Bank will bear all the expenditure of this project," he said.

He said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would launch Sindh Express on July 24 and it would be the third train PR had launched over the last few weeks. He said an incentive package for railway staffers would be announced soon.

Rashid said that at present 10 freight trains were running from Karachi but PR would achieve the target of 14 freight trains within the next three months.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=50391&catid=3

This news should have been in my thread called Pakistan Railways please post any news to do with railways in that thread ... thank you.

One thing is surprising. Pervaiz Elahi has inaugrated IT Complex at Ferozpur Road. This building is mentioned to have 15 floors but pictures show more than 25 floors. It means they dont have even a model, design or rendering of the building. How can it be inaugrated. There are many many examples like PC Tower, Parco Tower, Expo Centre, ZSC etc that are designed and finalised many times but there is no sign of construction. How can this IT Complex be materialsed or expected that dint have even final design or model and is "inaugrated"

Work on City Museum yet to start

BY MAIRA FAYYAZ
LAHORE - The Lahore Museum officials have held a series of meetings with Archaeology Department to wrinkle out differences on the much delayed “City Museum” project proposed to be constructed in Tollinton Market.
The archaeology department and Lahore museum have been at odds recently in connection to the project with the former seeking cancellation of the plan while latter demanding its completion on early basis.
The archaeology department sources have reiterated their stance on a number of occasion that the setting up of museum in the Tollinton Market and subsequent shifting of rare artifacts there would massively increase chances of their theft, thus putting the security of monuments of national importance at stake. On the other hand Director Lahore Museum Nahid Rizvi is enthusiastic about the project and wants its early commissioning.
Talking to The Nation Nahid said an amount of Rs 160 million has been allocated for the project in the Punjab budget, adding its completion would help in preserving the heritage under one roof.
However, sources in archaeology department differ with her and don’t want this place to be used for museum. About the grant they say that the amount last sanctioned was Rs 400 million for the uplift of Tollinton Market, adding the use of this place to conduct exhibitions or hold parties would be more feasible.
The director Lahore Museum has floated an idea in the meetings that we can put some models of monuments like Lahore Fort or Shalimar Gardens in the proposed City Museum.
Sources in the archaeology department countering her plan said the place was not a ‘toy house’ at all, adding Tollinton is 100-year-old market place and it should be utilised in an appropriate way.
While talking to this scribe the director of Fakir Khana Museum expressed discontentment about the attitude of Nahid Rizvi and said that the proposer of City Museum who intends to preserve entire history of the City under one roof is not competent enough to look after such a big project especially in the wake of the fact that she cannot even take care of Lahore Museum.
He said the director of Lahore Museum always comes up with irrelevant ideas. For instance last time she took up the matter of stairs in Tollinton Market, adding now she wants the same stairs to be removed.
He demanded that a new body should be set up to take over this project consisting of archaeologists or those people who have proper know how about sensitivity of the project.
Supporting the idea of setting up City Museum in Tollinton Market, he said the building was suitable from all aspects for the project.
The director maintained that the City Museum should mean a conventional centre where everybody could roam freely and where there should be record of history of City gardens, suffism, Gurdawaras, madrassas and schools, press and publications and many other knowledgeable stuff to make it a state of art museum and to meet the international standards.

Monday, July 24, 2006

New filtration plant opened at UC 55

LAHORE: District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood inaugurated the newly installed water filtration plant at Union Council 55, Gulistan Colony in Mustafa Abad on Sunday, the third such plant to be installed. On this occasion he said that the project of installing water filtration plants in every union council of the city had commenced and a total of 150 such plants would be set up in Lahore in the next three years. The nazim of Aziz Bhatti Town Ch Muhammad Ashraf, Mian Akhlaq Guddu and Malik Riaz were also present on this occasion.

Mian Amer announced that so far, filtration plants had been set up at Govt College for Women Baghbanpura, Gulistan Colony, Karim Park, Rehman Pura, Bakar Mandi, and Makkah Colony, while installation was under way at Taxali Gate, Bhagatpura and Ismail Nagar.

The city district government had also planned the installation of 26 new tube wells in the city during the current fiscal year to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the people, he said.

Meanwhile the District Nazim Mian Amer will distribute educational scholarships worth Rs. 8 million among 340 children of industrial workers. A special ceremony would be held at Jinnah Hall at 10.30.a.m. today (Monday 24 July2006) for this purpose. The district nazim also approved awarding scholarships worth Rs 10,000 a year to each of the 193 children of industrial workers studying in the 9th and 10th class and securing 60 percent marks, through the Education Cess. These scholarships would be distributed before August 14. staff report

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\24\story_24-7-2006_pg13_6

Construction starts on two sections of Lahore Ring Road

Staff Report

LAHORE: Minister for Communication and Works (C&W) Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan said in a press statement on Sunday that construction on two sections of the Lahore Ring Road (LRR) had started.

Work on the portions of LRR from Mehmood Booti to Lakho Dair and Barki Road to Ghazi Road Intersection had begun and these projects would be completed for around Rs 2.4 billion, the minister said while presiding over a meeting.

The meeting was informed that work on the LRR portion from Mehmood Booti to Lakhu Dair has been initiated at a cost of Rs 695 million and this project would be completed in six months. Likewise Rs 1.76 billion would be spent on the construction of the road from Barki Road to Ghazi Road Intersection and it will be completed in ten months.

The minister told the chief engineer of highways to ensure the completion of construction work within stipulated period and that negligence would not be tolerated. C&W Secretary Ahmed Yar Khan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Masoodur Rasool, Chief Engineer Highways Muhammad Khalid Khokhar, Superintending Engineer Munawar Bashir and XEN Road Construction Sarfraz Butt were also present.

Monday, July 24, 2006

Construction starts on two sections of Lahore Ring Road

Staff Report

LAHORE: Minister for Communication and Works (C&W) Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan said in a press statement on Sunday that construction on two sections of the Lahore Ring Road (LRR) had started.

Work on the portions of LRR from Mehmood Booti to Lakho Dair and Barki Road to Ghazi Road Intersection had begun and these projects would be completed for around Rs 2.4 billion, the minister said while presiding over a meeting.

The meeting was informed that work on the LRR portion from Mehmood Booti to Lakhu Dair has been initiated at a cost of Rs 695 million and this project would be completed in six months. Likewise Rs 1.76 billion would be spent on the construction of the road from Barki Road to Ghazi Road Intersection and it will be completed in ten months.

The minister told the chief engineer of highways to ensure the completion of construction work within stipulated period and that negligence would not be tolerated. C&W Secretary Ahmed Yar Khan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Masoodur Rasool, Chief Engineer Highways Muhammad Khalid Khokhar, Superintending Engineer Munawar Bashir and XEN Road Construction Sarfraz Butt were also present.

Home | National

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\24\story_24-7-2006_pg7_32

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

CM starts Monsoon tree plantation campaign today

* PHA and district govt to plant 150,000 saplings

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi will plant a tree at the Race Course Park on Tuesday to begin the Monsoon tree-planting campaign.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) would plant 100,000 trees and the district government would plant 50,000 trees in the campaign which, officials said, was part of the Punjab government’s Green Punjab Policy.

PHA Director General Shabbir Ahmad said a committee of experts would assist the authority during the campaign, which would focus on the Lahore Canal-Shaukat Khanam Hospital road. The authority had named it Jinnah Avenue, he said. He said 60 percent of the trees being cut to widen Canal Road were eucalyptuses, which depleted underground water resources, and a large number of new trees would replace them.

Experts say Lahore has 20 percent tree cover, which is half of the recommended percentage (40 percent), and would decrease to about 15 percent in the next five years because of rapid urbanisation. Authorities must control the decline and work to increase tree cover to 35 to 40 percent, they say.

Environmental pollution would become uncontrollable by 2015 because of urbanisation, increasing automobiles and decrease in tree cover, and expert said. Northern Lahore already had an environmental crises, he said, which would extend to Shadman Colony, Muslim Town, Gulberg and Faisal Town because of fast commercialisation. Multi-storeyed buildings would contribute to the problem, he said.

Educating people about the benefits of trees was one of the purposes of the campaign, said Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in a message. The government was taking a special interest in planting trees, he said, because they were important for the economy and the environment and would help cope with the country’s growing energy requirement. The private sector could play a vital role in this regard, he said.

Special attention was also being paid to the protection of existing trees and plants, he said, and new development schemes would be required to submit reports in this regard in future. Appropriate measures should be taken for the protection of environment besides accelerating the pace of development, he said. The Chief Minister’s Secretariat would monitor the campaign, Elahi said. He appealed to elected representatives, farmers and labourers to participate in the campaign.

Punjab Forest Minister Dr Ashfaqur Rehman said in his message that the province needed at least a 25 percent tree cover but had only 3.1 percent.

He said there were tree-planting campaigns every year but they could not achieve the desired goals because of lack of participation by people. “The targets can never be achieved until and unless people from all walks of life, especially farmers and students, participate in the campaign,” he said.

Trees were the only solution to problems caused by fast urbanisation, he said.

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\25\story_25-7-2006_pg13_1

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

SC moved against Cineplex

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has been requested by an environmentalist group to intervene and declare illegal the conversion of a five-acre park in Lahore into a commercial venture where a shopping and entertainment mall with a Cineplex cinema has been planned.

The petition was jointly filed by Citizens for a Better Environment, columnist Cowasjee and six others.

The LDA, the Punjab Entertainment Company, the Punjab government, the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Lahore, the Housing and Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department, the Environment Protection Department and the additional registrar (judicial) Lahore High Court have been made respondents in the petition. staff report


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\25\story_25-7-2006_pg13_5

Fair & Square



Admonition begets reformation

By Mian Saifur Rehman

saifee2001@hotmail.com

Development without transparency and fair play is no development. This was the crux of the judgment passed recently by the supreme custodian of law, justice and human rights, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in a case pertaining to Lahore Development Authority (LDA). The LDA seniors might have heaved a sigh of relief having ‘come out unscathed’. To them, admonition is a source of reformation and not a source of ignominy. Had the LDA officials taken such things as ignominy it would have impacted their lives with the pain of a punishment. It is in this context that I say that they have ‘come out unscathed’ from the powerful hands of the apex court. The people on the whole are, however, happy that the days of their exploitation by the government machinery are now almost over. The speed and pervasiveness of the apex court under the dynamic leadership of His Lordship Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has now sent signals of hope through all the tiers of our society. Previously, people would be heard openly criticizing the judiciary and the judges for not giving just verdicts. A broad cross-section of public opinion would rather denounce the trumpeted demand of independence of judiciary on the plea that judges have always been independent enough to decide the people’s fate according to their own perception and also independent enough to announce altogether conflicting judgments in cases with exactly identical merits, conditions and circumstances.

The common man was scared of going to courts especially in the matters relating to government departments. As for the departments, there is no need to give any specific account since almost every function of the government functionary speaks volumes of self-importance, inflexibility and apathy characteristic of our bureaucrats. Surprisingly and much to the chagrin of the aggrieved Pakistanis (almost every poor citizen is aggrieved in this country), every public servant has his own tricky and motive-ridden interpretation of the rules none of which conform to each other or even to the true spirit of the law, let alone human welfare that every law claims to ensure otherwise.

Just a few days back I happened to be sitting in front of an old friend of mine in LDA whose name is Qazi Masud who met me for the first time way back in 1975 at Islamabad when he was doing a job in some department as a Sub-Engineer or in an equivalent position. His rise is commendable as much as his strengthening. Many bullets were pierced through his body by dacoits but not to his detriment and then he has survived six years as OSD, a situation deadlier than being wounded by bullets. What further damage or pressure can come his way? I, however, wish the boldness did not assume the shape of defiance of law or good reason, as is the case with most of our ‘bold’ officers. One example can illustrate the demonstration of this ‘boldness’. It was in

Qazi’s office that I heard one Shafiq Abbasi, an old acquaintance and a former CSS qualified person praying to Lord that after his death, his grave should not be located somewhere close to the grave or graves of LDA people. The reason that he gave for this ‘heavenly wish’ was that the graves of LDA officials would burn for the reason of their abundant sins and that he dreaded being in their proximity even after his demise.

What an innocent wish it is! Lord is not free enough to grant such wishes. Even otherwise, He might be having soft corner for the people in the business of development i.e development for the sake of development and not for the sake of politics.

I am at this moment reminded of a comment passed by Services’ Hospital neuro-surgeon Dr Tariq Jameel. According to the doctor, medicine is a profession and not politics. Well said Dr Tariq. Here you go strictly by the requirements of the profession and not by expediency as is usually done in politics where priorities are fixed or re-fixed in accordance with the whims and sweet will of the political top notches or their visible or invisible bosses.

This takes me to the conclusion that knowledge and intellect are not confined to literati alone. Even professionals from highly specialized fields can be expected to come up with ideas replete with intellect. Specialized field people are rather expected to be more knowledgeable especially those in medical profession given their massive interaction with all types and categories of general public. Services’ Hospital in particular is manned by the lot that is not yet devoid of the elements of hospitality and knowledge. The newly posted Medical Superintendent, Dr Ijaz Bhatti, himself symbolizes civility as being the one blessed with extreme sense of accommodation. It is good news for the people of Lahore as well as for the people of Punjab that they not only have good-natured doctors to attend them but also some very fine arrangements and equipment in the hospital that gives the impression of being treated in some modern Western hospital. This is at least true about the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. I happened to visit it during the last few days since my young nephew Ehsaan is admitted over there. His is a case of bullet brain injury in medical terms but the actual facts behind the whole game are horrendous that depict the true picture of our cruel, unjust society. The youth has lived a life of a harmless person born to serve others with his smiles and selflessness but for the ruthless handling of this innocent child by someone ignorant of the real meaning of love and sacrifice that know no crudity, infidelity and worldly gains.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=17031

Lahore: Progress News & Updates (PART I) (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=312397)

Part I has reached its maximum capacity, kindly post all upcoming news and updates for Lahore in this thread.

DHA Food Festival In Full Swing


The Post - Lahore: The food festival "Gwalmandi in Defence" being organised by Defence Housing Authority is in full swing.

A large number of people visited the food festival and enjoyed traditional food of Punjab as the weather turned pleasant here on Sunday. Most of the people stood around stalls of Kasuri Fish, Gol Gappay, Pathuray and Dahi Bhallay.

Various folk singers sang melodious songs for visitors while different artistes and comedians also performed in the food festival.

Children enjoyed puppet and magic shows.

Lahore Expo Centre project to be completed by Feb next

LAHORE: The Lahore Expo Centre project will be completed by February 28.

This was told at a meeting of the steering committee of the project held here Tuesday. Vice Chairman of the committee and Punjab Industries and Commerce Minister, Muhammad Ajmal Cheema presided over the meeting.

“The meeting reviewed the pace of the project; It was hoped that the project will be completed on time," Vice Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Navid Arif told APP after the meeting.

He said that the project execution was going on at a very rapid pace. app

Who’ll give the best Mass-Transit bid?

* Project to begin with 27-kilometre Green Line

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: Tenders for the 27-kilometre Green Line of Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) from Shahdara to Kahna will be invited soon.

Provincial Transport Secretary Agha Nadeem said tender notices would be advertised internationally to address reputable companies. Sources said the government expected foreign construction companies experienced in rail transit systems to respond, because they were better equipped to handle such a large project.

MVA-Asia, a Hong Kong-based engineering company had given the green light for the project after a feasibility study on the Green Line, they said. The Traffic and Engineering Planning Agency (TEPA) proposed four lines for the project, sources said, of which the Green Line, which is the main one, will be constructed first.

The provincial government has allocated Rs 1.60 billion as ‘kick-start money’ for the project this financial year. The transport secretary said it was only allocated to a portion of the project. The total estimated cost of the project cost is about $2 billion.

Due to the worsening situation of traffic in Lahore, the government wanted the LRMTS and the Ring Road to open as soon as possible, they said, adding that issues relating the expansion of Canal Road had added to the urgency.

The elevated portion of the Green Line would begin from Shahdara, pass Ravi Road, Data Gunj Buksh shrine, Lower Mall, The Mall, Queens Road and Ferozepur Road near Kalma Chowk, sources said, adding that the underground portion would begin from Kalama Chowk, pass through Model Town I and II, General Hospital and end at Kahna.

The Green Line’s proposed design included 19 stops including Shahdara, Timber Market, Bhaati Gate, Lahore Museum, Regal Chowk, Ganga Ram Hospital, Mozang Chungi, Ichhra, Wahdat Road, Gaddafi Stadium, Kalma Chowk, Model Town I and II and Kahna etc, sources said.

Stations on the elevated route would be overhead and stations on the underground route would have two entranceways and two exits, sources said. MVA Asia had studied underground systems in London and New Delhi.

Sources said the LRMTS and Lahore Ring Road overlapped on several routes including Ferozepur Road, and a committee supervised by the Planning and Development chairman was formed to resolve the issue and coordinate between the Punjab Transport Department (supervising the LRMTS) and the Communication and Works Department (building Lahore Ring Road).

The LRMTS will take 40 percent of Lahore’s traffic load.



http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\27\story_27-7-2006_pg13_1

Lahore has potential to become trade hub, says Aamer



Staff Reporter


LAHORE: By virtue of a peaceful law and order situation, Lahore is a safe city for foreign investment and in view of its geographical location it has the potential to become a regional commercial hub.

District Nazim Mian Aamer Mahmood said this while talking to Japanese ambassador to Pakistan HE Feiji A Oyima, who called on him at his office Wednesday. "Establishment of Sunder Industrial Estate, execution of mega projects like Ring Road, light transit rail and Lahore-Sialkot Motorway and improvement of the physical infrastructure in the city will offer world class facilities to foreign investors in Lahore," He added. Aamer told the honourable guest that the Light Transit Rail projects feasibility report had been prepared and tenders would soon be invited for its execution.

"We will welcome foreign investment for installation of a water treatment plant," the nazim said and assured him that Japanese investors would be provided with all possible incentives in higher education and industrial management. "With improvement of bilateral relations with India, Lahore will become a gateway of trade between East Asian and Central Asian countries," Aamer said.

The nazim thanked the ambassador for providing machinery worth Rs 780 million to improve drainage system of Lahore and hoped that Japan would continue its cooperation in the citys development. He said that the machinery was being used for de-silting the city drains.

http://www.thepost.com.pk

Friday, July 28, 2006

100 inspectors will check building crimes

* Rs 300 to Rs 5,000 fine for first-time violators of building bylaws, Rs 15,000 fine or 6-month jail on defiance
* WASA MD’s transfer cancelled, water-drainage squads formed

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The district government will appoint 100 inspectors to enforce building bylaws in Lahore, in line with the amended Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001 (Section 146/D).

The enforcement inspectors will be authorised to fine first-time violators of schedules 4 and 8 of the ordinance with Rs 300 to Rs 5,000 and will refer cases to police stations if violation continues. Based on the challans sent by the inspectors, courts will punish the violators with fines of up to Rs 15,000 and/or imprisonment of up to six months.

The district government will give each inspector a 25 percent commission on the fine collected on his challans, to evade corruption. A monthly list of challans would be given to reporters on the 20th of every month. The district police officer will give details of all cases registered in this regard on the 28th of every month. The details will be published on the district government’s website.

Announcing the decision at his office on Thursday, Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood said the district council would formally approve it at its next session. He said the amendments to schedules 4 and 8 of the Local Government Act had allowed the district government to enforce the laws effectively and schedule 9 had authorised the inspectors to issue fine tickets. There had not been an enforcement mechanism for local government acts earlier and the district government had problems punishing violators, he said. Inspectors would help district and town officials control building crimes, he said.

Talking to Daily Times, CDGL officials said violation of building bylaws had become a very serious issue and transfer of power from building inspectors to enforcement inspectors would complicate the situation.

The town administration had been combating illegal and dangerous buildings and encroachments under Sections 141 and 142 of the Punjab Local Governments Ordinance, which authorised building inspectors to send challans of violation to special judicial magistrates for trail. Building inspectors were required to have a three-year diploma in civil engineering, they added. Enforcement inspectors, they said, would request police stations to register cases in line with the amended law, and violation would be trailed under the Criminal Procedure Code.

Water and Sanitation Agency Managing Director Inam Qadir, whose transfer orders were cancelled by the Punjab government on Thursday, was also present on the occasion. Provincial government sources told Daily Times that Qadir’s transfer was cancelled on the request of an “influential district official”.

Mian Amer said emergency squads would ensure drainage of water from low-lying areas during Monsoon. They would work under town nazims, he said. They would include officials from the Water and Sanitation Agency, Revenue Department, Water and Power Development Authority, Sui Gas and Civil Defence Department, he said, and would be supervised by town municipal officers. Each squad would have a truck and a dewatering set along with other machines and tools, he said. Citizens could call 139 to file complaints in this regard, he added.

Home | Lahore

Utility bills payment now round the clock



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has installed electronic machines in the City through which citizens can deposit their utility bills round-the-clock.

Now citizens can deposit their utility bills by using their national identity cards (NICs). The machines accept cash and will help citizens get rid of long queues in banks.

The software of these machines is in Urdu, so people can operate them easily. The machines have been installed initially in Islampura, Anarkali, and Shah Kamal. In future, 200 such machines will be installed in the province, out of which 50 will be installed in Lahore. Narda has already launched this system in Karachi and Islamabad.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Upgrades at Services Hospital

Staff Report

LAHORE: Services Hospital announced several new projects to facilitate patients and their attendants, in a press statement on Thursday.

A spokesman said a new waiting area and day care centre had been completed recently at a cost of Rs 25 million. The new waiting area was air-conditioned and had a canteen, he said. About Rs 30.2 million were being spent on expanding and upgrading the trauma centre and the emergency ward, he said, to provide state of the art medical facilities to patients.

Three new operation theatres were almost complete, he added, after which the 120-bed emergency ward would be comparable to that of any other hospital in the world.

Home | National

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\28\story_28-7-2006_pg7_31

Speedy construction of Lahore-Wagah Road ordered



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Communications and Works Ch Zaheerud Din Khan Thursday directed the officials concerned to accelerate the pace of work at the four-lane Lahore Wagah Road from Daroghawala to Wagah to ensure the project was completed on time. He said that Lahore Wagah Road would be joined to Lahore Ring Road to provide better and faster travelling facilities to Sikh pilgrims. The minister said this while presiding over a departmental meeting.

Communications and Works Department Secretary Ahmed Yar Khan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Masood-ur-Rasool, Chief Engineer (Highways) Muhammad Khalid Khokhar, Superintending Engineer Munawar Bashir and XEN Sana Ullah Cheema also attended the meeting.

Friday, July 28, 2006

‘Expedite work on the Lahore-Wagah Road’

LAHORE: Minister for Communication and Works (C&W) Chaudhry Zaheerud Din Khan ordered C&W officials to speed up work on the four-lane Lahore-Wagah Road from Daroghawala to Wagah to complete the project on time.

These orders were issued in a meeting chaired by the minister to review the pace of work. C&W Secretary Ahmed Yar Khan, Technical Additional Secretary Masoodur Rasool, Highway Chief Engineer Muhammad Khalid Khokhar, Engineer Superintending Munawar Bashir and XEN Sanaullah Cheema were present and the meeting was informed that Rs 1.34 billion would be spent on a 16-kilometre long road and Rs 415 million had been spent up to June 2006.

The minister said that Lahore-Wagah Road would be linked to Lahore Ring Road and not only would residents have faster roads, but Sikh pilgrims could also reach their sacred places easily. He said that after the completion of the road, trade between Pakistan, India and Afghanistan would increase. staff report

Home | National

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\28\story_28-7-2006_pg7_29

Would anybody in Lahore inform about updates of Park View shopping Mall, advertised nearly 3 years ago, as the country's biggest shopping Mall, What about Ahad Tower near Kalma Chowk? what about Wateen Building on Raiwind Road?Any latest develpment in DHA? like flyovers or golf club? what abt Parco Tower n PC? any construction on Air Port area? Thanks a lot

just heard about Armani are coming to lahore, they will setup a big showroom of the cloths and a spa and shopping mall.

a shop, a designer outlet by armani is possible.I dont think Armani makes shopping malls ANYWHERE!

well i think they have just joined hands with EMAAR and are planning a big investment in real estate around the world.

Rs 3b announced for water supply, drainage

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE - Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi on Friday announced Rs 3 billion package for improving water supply and drainage system in various areas of the city including low-lying localities.
He was talking to the newsmen during his visit to the center of special children, which was inundated by rainwater in Tajpura. District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood, District Coordination Officer Mian Muhammad Ijaz, City District Government and Shalimar Town officials were also present.
Ch Pervaiz Elahi said under this mega project, rehabilitation of sewerage system has been started on war footings. He said the government was also providing additional funds for the improvement of sewerage system in other cities of the province and the situation would be much better in future. He said the previous governments did nothing for the improvement of sewerage system and it is lamentable that even the chief minister and prime minister who belonged to this city, made no solid planning to resolve this serious problem. On the contrary, he said, the present government believes in practical measures rather than lip service.
The chief minister said the PML, after coming into power, made short-term and long-term planning for solving the problem of drainage of water. He said that Tajpura scheme was established about 21 years back and had the development work continued the situation would not have been so pathetic. He announced a drainage project, worth Rs 160 million for Tajpura and adjoining areas. He said Lahore Canal was turning into a drain due to discharge of sewage from the adjoining localities.
Faisalabad-Satiana Road approved
The revised scheme of dualisation of 7.66 km of Faisalabad-Satiana Road has been approved by the Planning and Development Board, and the revised cost would be Rs 147.607 million.
The spokesman of the P&D Board informed this on Friday.
special branch offices to be constructed
The Communication and Works Department will construct regional offices of special branch in seven districts with a cost of Rs 203.067 million, and Rs 70.240 million will be utilised during the current fiscal year.
This was disclosed at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for C&W Ch Zaheer-ud-Din Khan here at his office on Friday. Secretary C&W Ahmed Yar Khan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Masood-ur-Rasool, Chief Engineer Works Muhammad Iqbal Khokhar and senior officers of Special Branch also attended the meeting.
13,100 RMPs to be trained
Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Nasim Lodhi has said in order to ensure mother and child health and create awareness among the people to keep their families according to their resources, a target has been fixed to train 13100 Registered Medical Practitioners, 10900 Hakims and 7050 homeopath doctors under Population Welfare Programme by 2007-08.
She disclosed this while presiding over a high level meeting on Friday. Provincial Secretary Population Welfare Kazi Afaq Hossain, Director General Khalid Yousaf and other high-ranking officers attended the meeting.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/july-2006/29/localnews6.php

Saturday, July 29, 2006

NADRA’s new machines ‘queueless’ on bill payment

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The National Database Registration Authority’s (NADRA) installed seven more kiosks for the collection of utility bills in Union Council 55 (Dharampura), Union Council 56 (Ghaziabad), Union Council 77 (Qilla Gujjar Singh), Union Council 38 (Sultan Mahmood), Union Council 68 (Ravi Road), Union Council 18 (Begumpura) and Union Council 41 (Harbanspura).

Four such machines are already functioning successfully in Union Council 58, (Ravi Road), Union Council 72 (Urdu Bazaar), Union Council 82 (Saanda) and Union Council 102 (Shah Jamal).

NADRA officials said that 50 more kiosks would be installed in various union councils of Punjab in collaboration with the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO).

They said that LESCO consumers’ data according to computerised national identity cards would be entered into the kiosks similar to automated teller machines. They said that people could check the status of their LESCO, PTCL or Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited monthly bills by entering their national identity card number into the kiosk, they said, adding that 35 of the 50 kiosks would be installed in Lahore city, with the aim to provide 24-hour consumer service.

Officials said that 20 machines would be installed by the end of the next month in the first phase of the project. They said that NADRA would install the machines, and LESCO would pay the authority Rs 5 for each bill, without charging consumers. NADRA officials told Daily Times that authority would install 250 machines across Pakistan at a cost of Rs 350 million by the end of the current fiscal year. They said the project was approved by the prime minister in April 2005. LESCO and NADRA signed an agreement in this regard on July 7, they added.

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\29\story_29-7-2006_pg13_3

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Rs 3 billion for water, drainage schemes: CM

* Says previous governments were inept
* Allocates Rs 620m to canal restoration

Staff Report

LAHORE: Talking to the media on Friday during his visit to the centre for special children in Tajpura, which was inundated by rainwater, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi announced a package of Rs 3 billion for water supply and drainage schemes in various areas of the provincial capital, including low-lying localities.

He said that reconstruction of the sewage system had been initiated under this project and the government was also providing additional funds for the improvement of sewage system in other cities of the province and the situation would definitely pick up.

He said that former governments had done nothing for the improvement of the sewage system and it was lamentable that even the chief minister and prime minister, who belonged to this city, made no effective plans to resolve this serious problem and instead indulged in mere sloganeering. On the contrary, he said, his government believed in practical measures rather than ‘lip-service’. He said that Pakistan Muslim League (PML), after coming into power, made short-term and long-term plans to solve the problem of disposal of water. He said the Tajpura scheme was established 21 years ago and had development work continued, the situation would not have been so pathetic. He announced a drainage project worth Rs 160 million for Tajpura and adjoining areas.

The CM said that the canal was turning into a drain because of sewage from the adjoining localities running into it, therefore the government had evolved a project worth Rs 620 million for the restoration of the canal and provision of a proper sewage system to the areas nearby.

The CM made an appeal to the people to vacate houses that had been declared dangerous by the authorities. He also announced proprietary rights to widows who had been allotted plots in a quota for them, in Tajpura.

The CM gave a cheque for Rs 0.2 million to the family of a youth Shahid Akhtar who lost his life while trying to save others. He said that financial assistance of Rs 0.1 million each would be provided to the families of those who had lost their lives in the recent heavy rains. He said that he would recommend to the federal government to give a gallantry award to Shahid Akhtar.

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\29\story_29-7-2006_pg13_1

Saturday, July 29, 2006

NADRA’s new machines ‘queueless’ on bill payment

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The National Database Registration Authority’s (NADRA) installed seven more kiosks for the collection of utility bills in Union Council 55 (Dharampura), Union Council 56 (Ghaziabad), Union Council 77 (Qilla Gujjar Singh), Union Council 38 (Sultan Mahmood), Union Council 68 (Ravi Road), Union Council 18 (Begumpura) and Union Council 41 (Harbanspura).

Four such machines are already functioning successfully in Union Council 58, (Ravi Road), Union Council 72 (Urdu Bazaar), Union Council 82 (Saanda) and Union Council 102 (Shah Jamal).

NADRA officials said that 50 more kiosks would be installed in various union councils of Punjab in collaboration with the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO).

They said that LESCO consumers’ data according to computerised national identity cards would be entered into the kiosks similar to automated teller machines. They said that people could check the status of their LESCO, PTCL or Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited monthly bills by entering their national identity card number into the kiosk, they said, adding that 35 of the 50 kiosks would be installed in Lahore city, with the aim to provide 24-hour consumer service.

Officials said that 20 machines would be installed by the end of the next month in the first phase of the project. They said that NADRA would install the machines, and LESCO would pay the authority Rs 5 for each bill, without charging consumers. NADRA officials told Daily Times that authority would install 250 machines across Pakistan at a cost of Rs 350 million by the end of the current fiscal year. They said the project was approved by the prime minister in April 2005. LESCO and NADRA signed an agreement in this regard on July 7, they added.

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\29\story_29-7-2006_pg13_3



A very mis-leading sort of heading, isnt it? The idea is wonderful.Needs to be presented in a better light.Atleast I didnt like the heading.

RESIDENTIAL TOWERS LAHORE, PAKISTAN (Proposed)
AZHAR architecture in collaboration with Designers East, Lahore, were invited to submit designs for a residential tower scheme in Lahore, Pakistan. The brief consisted of three towers in Lahores financial centre. Each tower represented a different brief in terms of quality of specification and size of apartments. The proposal consisted of a 20 storey, a18 storey and a 15 storey tower. The towers forms were optmised for the living standards of Lahore and also explored efficient building technologies including panelised facade systems and prefabricated elements. The forms were optmised for orientation to the sun, for maximised energy efficiency. Solar Thermal panels on the roof provide hot water for the buildings.

http://www.azhararchitecture.com/news/06_news/azhar_lahore_towers_01.jpg

http://www.azhararchitecture.com/news.html

Monday, July 31, 2006

Old Labour Dept gets new ‘Minister Block’

Staff Report

LAHORE: Communication and Works (C&W) Provincial Minister Chaudhry Zaheerud Din Khan has said that the ‘Minister Block’ at the Old Labour Department of Civil Secretariat Lahore would be completed for Rs 525 million.

According to a press release on Sunday, the minister stated this while presiding over a departmental meeting to review the pace of work on this project.

The C&W secretary informed the minister that Rs 100 million had already been spent on the block, while Rs 200 million had been allocated to the project in the current financial year. He said that 57 percent of the construction work would be completed during the current fiscal year.

The meeting also reviewed the pace of construction work of an additional block in the office of the Punjab provincial ombudsman, Lahore.

The Minister was told that this building would be completed this year at a cost of Rs 9.35 million. The meeting was informed further that the regional office of the provincial ombudsman at Multan would be constructed at a cost of Rs 16.05 million while Rs 15.05 million had been earmarked during the this fiscal year. This project would also be completed by the end of this year.

Chaudhry Zaheer directed the C&W chief engineer to accelerate the pace of work on these schemes so that they could be completed in time. He said that quality material should be utilised in the construction of buildings.

Additional Technical Secretary Masood-ur-Rasool, Chief Engineer Muhammad Khalid Khokhar and other officials were also present at the meeting.

Home | National
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\07\31\story_31-7-2006_pg7_43

Sunday, July 30, 2006

It’s tree time, says Elahi

LAHORE: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has announced the plantation of 13 million saplings on government and private land this year as part of a tree plantation campaign in Punjab. Elahi said the purpose of tree plantation could not be served unless it was done with perseverance and existing plants and trees were properly maintained. He said that cutting trees would not be allowed unless the competent authorities gave permission. He said that 10 trees would be planted to compensate for the cutting of one. He said that numerous trees should be planted, and that 11,000 trees were being planted along the canal in Lahore. Later, commenting on the voter registration campaign he said that people aged 18 and above should be registered in the electoral rolls so they can vote and the old national identity cards would also be accepted for voting. staff report

Home | Lahore

Lahorites begin I-Day celebrations



Amir Nafees

LAHORE: Preparations to celebrate the country's 59th Independence Day (I-Day) have begun in the City and stalls of national flags, colourful badges and stickers have been set up in various parts of the City.

Like previous years, these stalls have been set up weeks before Independence Day. Lahorites observe the day by decorating their houses and streets with national flags and colourful bunting. They also offer special prayers for national integrity.

A large number of people, especially children, are seen at these stalls in various parts of the city, including Mozang, Gwalmandi, the Walled City, Urdu Bazar, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Samanabad, Township, Wahdat Road, Model Town, Garden Town and Gulberg Main Market. People have put national flags on their bicycles, motorbikes and cars. In the Walled City make special efforts are made to decorate residential-cum commercial areas by raising funds from shopkeepers and residents. Youths and children decorate streets, bazaars and markets. National flags and stickers are being printed in large numbers ahead of August 14.

The government has also issued special instructions to illuminate all government and semi-government buildings, including the Railway Station, State Bank, Wapda House, Governor's House, Badshahi Mosque, Lahore Fort, Punjab Assembly and General Post Office. The illuminated Mall remains the centre of attraction on August 14 every year.

The Lahore city district government officials have yet to issue instructions to various departments for finalising the arrangements for Independence Day celebrations. However, as per routine the city district government issued special instructions to decorate the government and semi-government buildings and shops with colourful bunting and lighting on the night of August 14.

Various social organisations, non government organisations, political parties religious groups will also hold functions to celebrate the day.


http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=51872&catid=3

anyone have an update on canal road and ferozpur road expansion.

anyone have an update on canal road and ferozpur road expansion.

bro this is what i have found ..

The canal parallel

I am sure many of us has noticed this, but they did foul up with the underpasses over at the canal. If you, say start from Dharampura underpass and are heading for say, Thokar Niaz Baig, you would notice this basic mistake. One underpass is next to the canal, with the off-ramp to its left and the situation is reverse when you approach the next one, making you change lanes alternatively for every underpass. This happens almost on all the underpasses.

And here is a funny question: how many underpasses are there on the canal? I have asked a few people, and although many pass through at least one of them daily, I had quite a varying answer anywhere between four to seven. Here's my count, what's yours?
Dharampura
Mall
Jail Rd
ShahJamal
Ferozepur Rd
Doctors Hospital
That's six, no? Hmmm...


http://lahore.metblogs.com/archives/2006/01/the_canal_paral.phtml

LAHORE -TEPA is preparing feasibility to make Ferozepur Road a model highway. The remodeling includes re-designing and provision of most modern and state-of-the art services and facilities parallel to any road in the world.
The plan is being prepared on the instructions of the Chief Minister Punjab, sources disclosed.
However, some experts believe that the redesigning of the road would render the all-important project of Lahore Ring Road and Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System quite impossible to execute. They are of the view that the model Ferozpur Road would leave no room for one or two elevated structures required for the LRR and LRMTS.
Various government agencies, including the Planning and Development (P&D) department, City District Government, WASA, TEPA, Police and Traffic Police are all joining hands in preparing the feasibility report and highlighting the issues that need to be taken care of before and during the construction of Ferozpur Road according to new priorities.
According to the sources, redesigning of Ferozpur Road from Qurtaba Cghowk to Lahore General Hospital will be completed at a cost of Rs 700 million that also includes Rs 380 million for the installation of modern traffic signals.
The concerned officials are of the view that under this project Ferozepur Road would be converted into a four-lane road including one exclusively reserved for buses, ensuring trouble free and smooth journey of buses used for public transportation. Two lane service road will be developed-from Qartaba Chowk to Lahore General Hospital.
The redesigning plan also includes footpath between the main road and service lane. Bus bays will be established where required besides providing facilities to the cyclists. The officials further revealed that plans being firmed up also provide for changes in junction designs to improve traffic handling, while parking areas would also be established.
Most important feature of the plan will be the removal of encroachments from Ferozepur Road without which the redesigning would be impossible.
The government desires to introduce urban traffic control system not only at Ferozepur Road but also at adjoining roads including Jail Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Canal Bank Road and Maulana Shaukat Ali Road. All signals at these arteries will be controlled from central control room for which a three-storey building will be constructed in Barkat Market. All the concerned departments including TEPA, Police, Trafic Police, Rescue Service and Firebrigade will monitor the signal on CCTV cameras from the central control room.
Green wave will be introduced at these roads, which means that the vehicles getting a green signal will get the same at following crossings. CCTV cameras will be helpful not only for monitoring of traffic but also of crimes.
Experts believe that widening of Ferozepur Road and development of two-lane service road-from Qartaba Chowk to Lahore General Hospital will leave no need of LRR alongside this road besides making the construction of an elevated structure unfeasible.
“Four lane Ferozepur Road, a pedestrian track and two lane service road will make the construction of a huge elevated structure for LRR unfeasible. On the other hand, there will be no need of LRR to pass alongside Ferozepur Road after it is made a model corridor”, said an official in the P&D department requesting not be quoted.
He said that the Punjab Government would have to revise the LRR plan after the completion of Ferozepur Road project. He said that the same was the case with LRMTS.

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/june-2006/12/localnews2.php

MCB Tower
http://lahore.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/07/100_2370.JPG

Where is this MCB tower located?

^^^ when you turn to the left side of the jail road from main boulevard gulberg its on the left corner after travelling few meters.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Governor hails plan for foreign varsity in Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool met Dr Hartmut Kahlert, of Graz Univerisity of Technology Austria; Dr Wolfhard Wegscheider, the rector of the University of Leoben; Dr Gunter Grampp, a professor at Graz University and Dr Amin Toja, a professor at the Technical University of Vienna, on Tuesday.

The governor appreciated their plan to establish the establishment of a world-class engineering university in Lahore to be set up with technical assistance from Austria. The governor informed the visitors that in order to sensitize the academicians of engineering universities, the government has set up incubators and technology parks. He told them that 400 vocational institutes were working in the province to provide trained labour to industries. He said the government had adopted these measures to improve the country’s literacy rate and to make industries closer to the education sector.

Earlier, in a meeting at Governor’s House, Khalid Maqbool discussed WAPDA, Sui Northern Pipe Lines, Pakistan Tele Communications, NADRA and Agricultural Development Bank projects in the district and issued instructions in this regard. The meeting was told that the government was in consultation with the Pakistan Cricket Board to get the 120-kanal sports stadium in Toba Tek Singh operational. staff report

Home | Lahore

Aamer opens ‘One Window Operation Cell’



Staff Reporter


LAHORE: City District Nazim Mian Aamir Mehmood Tuesday inaugurated 'One Window Operation Cell for Citizen Community Boards' at Jinnah Hall.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mian Amir said the cell aiming at facilitating the Citizen Community Board (CCB) had been established with 20 percent funds from citizens. Lahore DCO Muhammad Ijaz, District Naib Nazim Idrees Hanif, Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment Chief Executive Yusaf Khan, Iqbal Town Nazim Allama Sardar Kamal Umar, government officials, UC nazims and members of Citizen Community Boards were present on the occasion.

The nazim said the cell would be responsible to issue funds within a month for the development projects after the project's evaluations.

"The district government has 80 percent budget amounting to Rs 650 million for the ongoing schemes that would help in uplifting the city's infrastructure," he said. Mian Amir said with the help of local populations, a 'model village' project was being started soon in the City's rural areas.

The nazim said under the administration of the City Community Board, this year all the government schools would be provided with new furniture. "Boundary walls and toilets for girls' schools will be reconstructed soon," he added.

The Post Forum : ‘Improper planning ruining the City’s beauty’

Speakers suggest walkways, intra-city rail system, traffic laws’ implementation to control pollution : Criticise widening of roads at the cost of environment

Arshad Dogar, Zeeshan Zafar,Ahmad Khan and Aown Ali


LAHORE: Improper planning and poor management has laid the City District Government projects open to criticism besides ruining beauty of a historical beautiful city, Lahore. These million dollars projects will not facilitate anything rather they have added to the miseries of citizens. Thousands of worthless trees have been cut in the name of development.

These views were expressed by the Save Lahore Movement members at a discussion forum, arranged by The Post at the Khabrain Group of Newspapers building Tuesday.

The critics said that the 'inexperienced' and 'unfit' officials in departments while planning the projects did not pay any heed to their environmental effects. Most of projects like Canal Road Widening Project, Ring Road and construction of new plazas were approved without their environmental impact assessment. The panel urged the government to mange the city traffic on international standards by employing traffic management theories rather widening roads.

The Save Lahore Movement members stressed the execution of environmental laws through an Environmental Tribunal comprising environmentalists. They said that the city traffic could easily be managed by carrying out a study into traffic on city roads in various timings and movement of commuters.

The panel said that "If rural-urban migration was controlled timely, the city will not have to face these traffic and drainage problems. Now intra-city mass transit rail system and traffic free zones can only save Lahore from the environmental pollution."

They also suggested tree plantation in new housing colonies by the government. The Save Lahore Movement members urged the government to take stern actions against the people involved in cutting trees illegally. They condemned the canal road widening project and called it an environmental threat

Noted Historian Dr Ejaz, addressing The Post Forum, said that Lahore, a historical green city, could only be saved by raising awareness among people about their civic responsibilities. "Alas! Even our government officials lack civic sense," he added.

Ejaz said that the Canal Road Widening Project would not solve the city's traffic problems, adding that ill-planned underpasses and removal of speed breakers had already increased road accidents on the Canal Road.

He said that if the road was widened, accidents would increase because of bottlenecks near underpasses. He said that cutting of trees would intensify flora and fauna problem besides disturbing ecological balance.

Ejaz said that the district government should make an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. He said the trees were auctioned during housing colonies development and the government had no check on it. He said that thousands of trees were sold during development of 56 housing colonies at the Raiwind Road.

Highlighting importance for awareness campaigns, he said: "If citizens stop throwing plastic bags in drains, the city's sewage problems will automatically solve."

Prominent environmentalist Imrana Tiwana said the city was on the brink of ruin due to CDG projects.

She said that more than 30,000 trees were on the Canal Road and if they were cut, it would cause environmental threat to citizens.

She said that 10,000 trees were cut from Canla Road for VIPs movement. She said that Pakistan Medical Association, WWF and youth organisations were against the Canal Road Widening project.

World Wide Fund (WWF) Chief Coordinator Amjad said that the city environment was damaging with the every passing day and the government should cope with the growing concerns. He rejected the widening of the Canal Road at the cost of environment, saying that strict execution of driving lane rules was need of the hour.

"A tree helps six people in breathing and takes about 30 years to grow," Amjad said.

He said that the Punjab government had initiated the Monsoon Plantation Campaign to plant 115,000 saplings, adding that hardly 15 to 20 percent of saplings would survive due to lack of care.

He said that people were suffering from diseases due to unhealthy environment, adding that exposure to pollution may lead to ailments of ear, nose and throat, upper respiratory infections, headaches, nausea, allergies and heightened irritability.

He that an area of 60-acre from Dharampura to Thokar Niaz Baig would be deprived of tress.

Advocate Ahmad Rafay Aalam discussed the legal aspects of the Canal Road Widening Project and called the project illegal, saying that environmental impact assessment was mandatory for the approval of the project. Rabia, an activist of Save Lahore Movement, said that Canal Road Widening Project to cost Rs 700 million was not an ultimate solution for smooth traffic flow. She called the project wastage of funds.

She said that Canal Road Widening Project would spoil beauty of Lahore. She said that despite widening of roads Egypt and Indonesia were still facing traffic problems.

She said that now these countries were planning new urban transport system and developing commercial zones outside cites that would reduce traffic burden.

She suggested project like Ring Road would reduce the traffic burden on main city roads. She said that the Punjab government was widening the Canal Road to facilitate north market access to motorway but Lahore Ring Road would suit the vision.

"The major reason behind the slow flow of traffic is plying of donkey-carts, bicycles, and rickshaws road," she said.

She suggested that before red marking thousands of mature trees lining on both sides of canal, it was really important to examine what were the fundamental problems with traffic of the Canal Road. Traffic hazards, such as the presence of fruit vendors and donkey-carts on the roads, would not evaporate, even after the authorities expand the roads. "The government needs to form a system to control traffic violators more effectively and allocate different routes and lanes for slow traffic to improve the current situation" Rabia proposed.

She said that walkways should be constructed from Jail Road to Freozpur Road.

^^^ when you turn to the left side of the jail road from main boulevard gulberg its on the left corner after travelling few meters.

Thanks!

^^^ nops

well the picture was actully taken from the 7th floor of saadqi trade center

Great post Sania.. I hope someone listens to them.. I would hate to see those trees on Canal Road cut down.

Lahore’s master plan being threatened:

CDGL in a fix over rise in construction crime

* Design committee formed to amend city plan, will deal with all commercial activity on 32 govt-controlled roads and 9 towns
* Will deem commercial activity unknown to it unlawful

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The city government is in a fix over the increase in construction crime even after amendments made in the Local Government Ordinance 2001 to stop construction that violates the city’s master plan, senior city government officials told Daily Times on Wednesday.

They said that besides the prevalence of construction crime at the town level, illegal commercial activity was also threatening the city’s master plan.

Officials said a design committee had been formed to amend the city government’s master plan. They said the executive district officer (works), EDO (municipal services), Lahore Development Authority chief engineer, Punjab government chief architect, Punjab Environment Protection Agency director and all town municipal officers would be part of the committee with the district coordination officer (DCO) in the chair. Officials said the committee would meet twice a month to discuss commercialisation concerned with the master plan.

Officials said the committee would deal with all commercial activity on 32 city government-controlled roads and some areas of the nine towns and would deem all commercial activity unknown to it unlawful.

However, they said, during the past eight months 44 cases in the above-mentioned areas were reported to be in violation of the master plan. They said that instead of punishing the violators, the city government sent them notice only. Officials said the Local Government Ordinance 2001 empowered the city government to register cases against violators.

Officials said five cases of violation were reported in Allama Iqbal Town and Malik Liaqat Ali, the city government’s enforcement inspector, issued notice to the violators. They said that out of the five cases, two were sent to police so that cases could be registered, but no case was registered.

Officials said Naveed Akhtar, the enforcement inspector for Wagah Town, detected five cases out of which two were sent to Baghbanpura and Heer police stations, but no cases were registered.

Officials said Muzammal Ishtiaq, the enforcement inspector for Gulberg Town, detected five cases in his jurisdiction and referred four of them to Naseerabad, Race Course and Gulberg police stations for the registration of cases.

They said Rai Shah Nawaz, enforcement inspector for Nishtar Town, detected four cases and referred all of them to the police for the registration of cases, but no case was registered. Officials said Rai Imtiaz Hassan, enforcement inspector for Samnabad Town, detected six cases and issued notice to all violators and sent the cases to the police, but again no case was registered.

They said Muhammad Saeed Gill, enforcement inspector for city government areas falling in the jurisdiction of Shalimar, Gulberg, Data Gunj Buksh and Ravi Towns, detected seven violations and referred the cases to the police, but no case was registered.

They said Muhammad Afzal, enforcement inspector for city government areas falling in the jurisdiction of Samnabad, Aziz Bhatti, Wagah, Allama Iqbal and Nishtar Towns, detected six cases and sent two to the police.

Officials said that besides the above-mentioned cases, the DCO would review other cases in the committee meeting today (Thursday). They said the DCO had already told the EDO (works) to compile a report within 10 days on the violation of construction by-laws at the town level.

Separately, Nazim Amer Mehmood told a meeting of all city government departments on Wednesday that about 1,078 plazas and markets had been built in the city without getting their construction plans approved and paying commercialisation fee. He also asked town municipal officers and other officials to explain why they did not take action against the illegal construction in their respective jurisdictions.

The DCO, EDOs of all departments and other officials were at the meeting. The nazim told the meeting that a third party survey should be arranged to verify the actual number of illegally built plazas. He also ordered for steps to make sure that sanitation fee was collected from all busy commercial centres of the city.

He also ordered for a campaign in collaboration with Traffic Police against tractor-trailers carrying construction rods (sarya). He also told the EDO (municipal services) to design covered trolleys to transport sand and soil since presently material was being carried in uncovered and open trolleys, which dirtied roads and caused inconvenience to the public.

Home | Lahore

Filming pornography and nude dances:

Police will start operating against guesthouses soon

* Action will be taken against guesthouses in Model Town, Faisal Town, Naseerabad, Gulberg, Defence, Cantonment, Ghalib Market

By Shahnawaz Khan

LAHORE: Police is going to start an operation against guesthouses – mostly in the Cantonment and Model Town – after receiving complaints from officials about people filming pornography and nude dances there, sources told Daily Times on Tuesday.

Sources said the complainants had alleged that the films were being sold in the market or shown on cable. Sources said police had decided to take action against guesthouses in the precincts of Model Town, Liaqatabad, Faisal Town, Naseerabad, Gulberg, Defence, North Cantt, South Cantt and Ghalib Market police stations.

Aamir Zulfiqar Khan, deputy inspector general (operations), confirmed being ordered to move against such guesthouses, saying the police had received complaints about such practices and had also caught many criminals from there. He said a Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Model Town team busted a drug ring after raiding a guesthouse in Faisal Town on February 24, 2006, and arresting four peddlers.

The team arrested Muhammad Nazir Asatan, Rahim Dad and Ghulab Khan, residents of Peshawar, and Bilal Khan, a resident of Nowshera. All four were members of an international drug gang and supplied drugs to guesthouses in the city. Police also seized 176 kilos of hashish, 69 liquor bottles and 715 cans of beer.

He said a circular to conduct operations had been issued to all police stations and that all station house officers (SHOs) had been ordered to monitor guesthouses in their jurisdictions.

He said SHOs would collect details of the guesthouses, their owners and people running them and would check the customer records every three days and make photocopies of the names and addresses of all customers. He said that after the data was compiled, police teams would conduct surprise raids at the guesthouses.

He said police would also be able to monitor criminals and terrorists because police would have complete data on customers renting out the rooms. He said there was evidence of criminals using such guesthouses to hide or plan. He said police already kept a check on hotels for criminals and that criminals had stopped renting rooms there. He said he had ordered SHOs to submit the data of the guesthouses within three days so that raids could start in a couple of weeks.

Home | Lahore

CDG fails to take action against illegal buildings

DCO office and LDA blame each other

Arshad Dogar

LAHORE: The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) lacks any mechanism to distinguish between the buildings within the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the district government's jurisdiction, making it difficult for CDGL officials to launch an operation against illegally constructed structures in the City despite orders by District Nazim Mian Aamer, The Post learnt Thursday.

Sources said that officials of the district council, DCO office and LDA were blaming each other for lack of action against illegal buildings.

A CDGL official, who asked not to be named, said that it was impossible to implement building bylaws as the officials concerned were not clear about their powers.

He said most of the buildings had been constructed without maps.

He said that the issue was so complicated that it could trigger an inter-department tussle.

He suggested setting up a single authority to approve new buildings.

However, an LDA engineer stressed inspecting the constructed buildings according to the existing building bylaws. He said that it was necessary to leave an open space on the four sides of the building to meet any emergency but 99 percent buildings of the city's buildings lacked such designing and were constructed illegally.

Town Municipal Officers (TMOs) of the district government told The Post that the authorities had started filing FIRs against the owners of the buildings which did not follow building bylaws.

Gulberg Town TMO Syed Ali Abbas said that 82 percent of the buildings come under the jurisdiction of Lahore Development Authority and he had submitted applications for FIRs against 60 illegal buildings and plazas in his town.

Samanabad Town TMO Sultan Mahmood said that he had declared 16 buildings dangerous whereas two of them were ultra dangerous and the orders had been issued to demolish them.

Aziz Bhatti Town TMO Rizwan Ahmad said that he had registered 26 FIRs against the violators of building bylaws in his town.

However, the TMOs of Ravi Town, Data Gunj Bux Town, Iqbal Town, Shalimar Town, Wagah Town and Nishtar Town said that they had started a campaign to collect complete details of illegally constructed buildings in their areas and they would submit reports to the officials concerned of the district government and LDA.

E-mushaira at British Council

Staff Report

LAHORE: A number of renowned Urdu poets from Pakistan and the UK participated in a ‘virtual’ mushaira organised by the British Council on Thursday.

Cutting edge videoconferencing technology made the centuries-old traditional literary event possible. The event featured Amjad Islam Amjad, Asghar Nadeen Syed, Munno Bhai, Najeeb Ahmed, Saud Usmani, Syeda Hinna Babar and Jawaz Jafferi from Pakistan, and Dr Debanji Chatterjee, Helen Goodway, Sabia Raza, Basir Kazmi and Simon Fletcher from the UK.

Mushaira is a traditional literary gathering of the sub continent, at which the participants recite poetry for an audience, which anticipates the rhyme scheme, joins in the refrain or simply appreciates the poetry through customary interjections. Traditionally, a mushaira requires the participants to be at the same venue.

The Muhsaira was followed by a brief reception for representatives of leading media organisations in Lahore. Dr Iftikhar Elahi, director of British Council Lahore, welcomed the guests.

Poets appreciated the innovative use of technology for the development of the traditional art form. They praised the British Council for promoting the exchange of creative ideas between the UK and Pakistan.

Home | Lahore

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Notices to hotels and restaurants, three get the boot

* Café Zouk, Tai Wah and Chicago Grill’s licenses cancelled for substandard food and unhygienic conditions

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The district government food squad has served 750 notices to various restaurants and hotels in posh localities for violating the Pure Food Act 1960, sources told Daily Times on Friday.

Sources said that Café Zouk, Tai Wah and Chicago Grill’s licenses had been cancelled over the last week for substandard food and unhygienic conditions. They said that violations of the act were not considered a serious crime in the past, because of which the situation had worsened over the last few years.

According to a CDGL Food Department report, the three licenses were cancelled after repeated reminders and notices for an improvement. Sources said that the hotels and restaurants that were challaned over the last five months were MFC, HFC, Sub-Way (Garden Town), Bundu Khan (Liberty Market), Mr Zinger Restaurant, Ravi Restaurant, Mahraja Restaurant, Smart Chicks (Faisal Town), Quick Continental Hotel (Jail Road), Chick Peas (Shadman), Lahore Broast, Hotel Three Star, Kashmir Hotel and others in the Walled City. Some five star hotels and chains of multinational companies were also served notice.

District Food Officer Chaudhry Munir said that the Food Department was now dealing with restaurants and hotels selling substandard food in accordance with the Punjab Local Government Ordinance. He said that he was not in favour of cancelling licences, but the department had to do so if hotels and restaurants did not improve hygiene even after reminders.

Chicago Grill was served a notice two months ago, but the management ignored it and the department decided to cancel its license, he said, adding that hygiene at five star hotels and franchised chains of multinational fast food companies were also not up to mark. He said that he challaned some five star hotels last year for unhygienic conditions.

Sources said another major issue was that more than half the companies selling mineral water in Lahore were filling their bottles up with tap water or filtered water.

CDGL Food Department sources told Daily Times that a survey of the quality of around 50 mineral water companies revealed that more than 25 brands were using substandard water. They said that some companies had proper mineral water plants, but the rest were using tap water, and selling them at railway stations, bus stands, petrol pumps and stores at Lahore’s entry and exit points.

The department seized and disposed of 25,000 substandard mineral water bottles, and sealed 20 factories, they said, adding that most companies selling such water could not be monitored because they were operating outside the district government’s precincts.

The district food officer said the Food Department tried its best to maintain the quality of water being sold in Lahore, but substandard brands attracted shopkeepers by offering a profit several times higher than famous brands.

Home | Lahore

Civil Secretariat to get new gate, modern gym



Staff Reporter


LAHORE: The main entrance of the Punjab Civil Secretariat will be demolished and a new gate and a building having a gym equipped with modern equipment will be constructed for civil servants. The project will cost Rs 15 million from public exchequer and the work will start in a couple of days, an official said Wednesday.

Sources said that a gigantic gate like that of the Chief Minister's Secretariat would replace the old one. A two-storey building will be constructed beside the civil secretariat's main gate over two kanals of land.

At basement, a modern gym will be set up to provide exercise facilities to the officers posted to the Civil Secretariat. On ground floor, waiting rooms for the visitors, office for the deputy superintendent of police security, post office, offices for special branch officials and a telephone internal exchange will be established.

Sources said the new gate was part of the master plan prepared for new urban building for provincial departments at the Punjab Civil Secretariat. The project will be completed by June, 2007.

Sources said a mosque and office of the Building Department in front of the chief secretary block would also be demolished for the construction of a new building over 1.7 kanals of land.

In this building, a mosque would be constructed on ground floor whereas offices of the Building Department and a car parking for about 50 vehicles will be built at basement. The project will cost Rs 6.5 million and is an approved scheme in the Annual Development Porgramme 2006-07.

CM okays projects for City’s northern areas



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has approved various projects for the northern areas in the city including establishment of a Rescue 1122 centre, a piece of land for graveyard, an emergency block at District Headquarters Hospital Kot Khawaja Saeed and Government Technical Training Centre (Male and Female). The chief minister also directed the authorities concerned to ensure provision of potable water and proper sewage arrangements in the area.

The CM approved these projects after TEVTA Parliamentary Secretary Rubina Sulehri Noor and Karam Welfare Foundation Chairman Noor Ahmad Ranjha briefed him about the problems being faced by residents of the area during a meeting.

Later, Rescue Director General Dr Rizwan, Rubina Sulehri, Noor Ahmad Ranjha and Medical Superintendent Dr Afzal visited the District Health Hospital Kot Khawaja Saeed to inspect the space for the establishment of Rescue 1122 Centre.

Aamer begins tree plantation campaign



Staff Reporter


LAHORE: District Nazim Mian Aamer Mahmood Friday began the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign by planting a Mangolia tree at Model Town Park. A large number of City District Government officials were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that 2, 00,000 saplings were present in the six nurseries of the City District Government for the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign whereas 50,000 saplings would be planted at schools.

Meanwhile, Mian Aamer directed the Water and Sanitation Authority (Wasa) officials to install the sewage and water supply pipes as per the WASA master plan to better the potable water supply.

He said this while presiding over a high-level meeting Friday.

Aamer said that old and rusted water supply lines should be replaced without any delay.

He said that international standards should be ensured in the construction of 350 overhead water tanks.

The meeting was informed that two new drains would be constructed at a cost of Rs 50 million for the disposal of rainwater whereas Rs 120 million would be spent on the repair of old drains.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Waste treatment plants will be installed at SIE and MIE

Staff Report

LAHORE: Common Effluent Treatment Plants worth around Rs 1 billion would be installed at Sunder Industrial Estate (SIE) and Multan Industrial Estate (MIE), to treat the industrial waste-polluted water.

The Planning and Development (P&D) Board spokesman said that the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) cleared the project and allowed the industrial departments to proceed. According to the estimated value presented by the department, Rs 720 million would be spent on the installation of the treatment plant at SIE and Rs 296 million for installing the plant at MIE.

The spokesman said that although every industrial unit discharges hazardous effluent and must have a primary treatment plant, this standard was not being maintained because of financial constraints.

It was not feasible to have an individual treatment plant, so the Punjab government decided to install common pollution and effluent treatment plants.

Home | National

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\05\story_5-8-2006_pg7_44

European media team visits PU
LAHORE: A European media delegation consisting of ten members visited the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) at the Punjab University.

German Parliament Senior Referent Mr Sarmad and Institute of International Relations Director, Warsaw University Prof Edward Halizak headed the delegations from Germany and Poland respectively. ICS Director Prof Dr Mugees-ud-Din Sheikh, along with faculty members discussed various issues pertaining to mass media with the delegation.

The delegation also visited the newly constructed block of the ICS consisting of the Hameed Nizami Conference Room, audio/video lab, multimedia lab, Punjab University FM radio, post production room, TV studio, library and other sections of the ICS. staff report

Home | National

Saturday, August 05, 2006

C&W to finish GOR II and III water schemes by year end

Staff Report

LAHORE: Communication and Works (C&W) Minister Chaudhry Zaheerud Din Khan said that water supply and sewage lines in GOR II and GOR III would be replaced in the current fiscal year for Rs 21.3 million. Another Rs 9 million would be spent on the installation of separate natural gas metres in the quarters of Poonch House and Chauburji Gardens Estate.

According to a press statement on Friday, the minister stated this while presiding over a department meeting to review the pace of work of ongoing schemes. The meeting was told that schemes to change drinking-water pipelines and to improve the sewage system in GOR III would be finished by the end of this year at a total cost of Rs 17 million, while around Rs 10 million had already been spent till June 2006 and Rs 7 million had been allocated this fiscal year.

Home | National

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\05\story_5-8-2006_pg7_43

Rs 21 million for water and sewerage of GOR-II & III

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
LAHORE - Punjab Minister for Communication and Works Ch. Zaheer-ud-Din Khan has told that the development of water supply and sewerage lines in GOR-II & III will be completed during the current fiscal year with a cost of Rs 21.257 million.
He was presiding over a departmental meeting to review the pace of work of ongoing schemes, at his office, Friday. Secretary C&W Ahmed Yar Khan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Masood-ur-Rasool, Chief Engineer Works Muhammad Iqbal Khokhar, Deputy Secretary Works and other concerned officers also attended the meeting.
It was told to the meeting that the schemes to change drinking water pipelines and improve sewerage system in the GOR-III would be accomplished by the end of this year with a total cost of Rs 17.035 million.
Rs 10.035 million have already been spent till June 2006, while Rs 7 million have been allocated during the current fiscal year. Likewise, the development of water supply and sewerage would be completed with Rs 4.222 million.
The meeting was further apprised that the installation work of separate Sui Gas meters in Poonch House and Chauburji Garden Estate would be completed with Rs 8.787 million.
Another amount of Rs 8.787 million would be spent on the installation of separate Sui gas meters in the quarters of Poonch House and Chauburji Garden Estate, it was observed.
The meeting was also told that Rs 6 million have been earmarked for the improvement and renovation of houses and roads of Chauburji Garden Estate. The total cost of these schemes is Rs 9.696 million.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/august-2006/5/localnews1.php

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Govt improving medical education in Punjab: Elahi

LAHORE: Medical education in Punjab has improved because of King Edward (KE) Medical College being given the status of a university, said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at a meeting at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Friday.

Elahi said that the university’s building would be extended to promote all of its sections. Acknowledging the construction of new blocks, computerisation, and the establishment of stem cell laboratories and a training institute for nurses, he said that the university’s new building would include an auditorium, a conference room and an e-library. He said that special attention would be paid to preserve the KE building’s architecture.

The Punjab government had made plans to modernise medical education in the province, and improve research, he said, adding that the government was trying to promote the sector because it held importance for the provision of medical facilities to people.

The chief minister said that KE was providing training and research facilities to nurses and paramedics. He said the Higher Education Commission and the Federal Health Ministry would be asked to provide funds for the university’s research. The Information Technology Department, and Management and Professional Development Department should help the university computerise its projects, he added.

Elahi said that the establishment of Sheikh Zayed Medical College in Rahimyar Khan, and necessary facilities at Quaid-e-Azam Medical College and Nishtar Medical College had improved medical education in southern Punjab. He said that the Services Institute of Medical Sciences had started its operations in Lahore. KE Vice Chancellor told the chief minister the KE had been allowed by the Royal College of Physicians (UK) to hold MRCP Part I exams in Lahore. staff report

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\05\story_5-8-2006_pg13_5

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Notices to hotels and restaurants, three get the boot

* Café Zouk, Tai Wah and Chicago Grill’s licenses cancelled for substandard food and unhygienic conditions

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The district government food squad has served 750 notices to various restaurants and hotels in posh localities for violating the Pure Food Act 1960, sources told Daily Times on Friday.

Sources said that Café Zouk, Tai Wah and Chicago Grill’s licenses had been cancelled over the last week for substandard food and unhygienic conditions. They said that violations of the act were not considered a serious crime in the past, because of which the situation had worsened over the last few years.

According to a CDGL Food Department report, the three licenses were cancelled after repeated reminders and notices for an improvement. Sources said that the hotels and restaurants that were challaned over the last five months were MFC, HFC, Sub-Way (Garden Town), Bundu Khan (Liberty Market), Mr Zinger Restaurant, Ravi Restaurant, Mahraja Restaurant, Smart Chicks (Faisal Town), Quick Continental Hotel (Jail Road), Chick Peas (Shadman), Lahore Broast, Hotel Three Star, Kashmir Hotel and others in the Walled City. Some five star hotels and chains of multinational companies were also served notice.

District Food Officer Chaudhry Munir said that the Food Department was now dealing with restaurants and hotels selling substandard food in accordance with the Punjab Local Government Ordinance. He said that he was not in favour of cancelling licences, but the department had to do so if hotels and restaurants did not improve hygiene even after reminders.

Chicago Grill was served a notice two months ago, but the management ignored it and the department decided to cancel its license, he said, adding that hygiene at five star hotels and franchised chains of multinational fast food companies were also not up to mark. He said that he challaned some five star hotels last year for unhygienic conditions.

Sources said another major issue was that more than half the companies selling mineral water in Lahore were filling their bottles up with tap water or filtered water.

CDGL Food Department sources told Daily Times that a survey of the quality of around 50 mineral water companies revealed that more than 25 brands were using substandard water. They said that some companies had proper mineral water plants, but the rest were using tap water, and selling them at railway stations, bus stands, petrol pumps and stores at Lahore’s entry and exit points.

The department seized and disposed of 25,000 substandard mineral water bottles, and sealed 20 factories, they said, adding that most companies selling such water could not be monitored because they were operating outside the district government’s precincts.

The district food officer said the Food Department tried its best to maintain the quality of water being sold in Lahore, but substandard brands attracted shopkeepers by offering a profit several times higher than famous brands.

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\05\story_5-8-2006_pg13_1

WiMax project compounds Defence’s rain woes

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: The landscape of Defence is now littered with the sight of digging and construction work along the roads. The project for which all this work is being carried out involves laying a fibre optic cable for the WiMax-Wateen Telecom project to offer wireless connectivity to all of DHA. Although the project ‘promises the moon,’ as the company claimed in its advertising hoardings, it has also been causing great inconvenience to residents of the area. And if the trenching and digging itself wasn’t enough, the recent rains have only exacerbated the problem.

Many of the underground concrete cabinets were full of water after the recent rains, which will definitely delay the project, since further digging and installation is not possible during the monsoon. Even the trenches, which were dug for cabinets that have already been installed, have caused considerable damage to roads because of heavy water seepage into the insufficiently filled holes.

“The trenching had been halted during the rains as labourers were waiting for the water to dry before continuing,” said Hassan, a shopper standing near a trench dug in front of the DHA Y-Block market. He said that the trenching had been started right in front of the market, but work had to be stopped because of rain. The work will start again when the rain stops and the trenches are dry again, he said.

“Digging started but stopped without the ditches being filled, leaving mud everywhere, because of which customers preferred going to other markets,” he said, adding that work should not be started in the rainy season, since it created problems for workers as well as residents.

Besides the rain, other technical problems also played a role in delaying the project and it is now expected to exceed its December deadline, technical experts privy to the project said. They said that no concrete plan had been made while starting the project especially because Wateen had provided diversified technologies for consideration to the DHA authorities. Experts said that Wateen presented a technically ambiguous plan to the authorities, which has created hurdles in the provision of the service which is still on trial everywhere else in the world.

Giving an example of an existing cable service provider in Lahore, experts said that the company could only get up to 35,000 cable TV connections. They said that the services promised by Wateen were outrageous, since the total number of cable TV connections in DHA after 5 years was around 7,000, while the number of cable internet connections was less than 2,500.

Experts also said that since Wateen was, in fact, simply playing the role of a middle-man between different service providers, their setup could not work effectively, which would in turn reflect badly on DHA.

Home | Lahore

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Govt wants more foreign investment in Punjab: Cheema

LAHORE: Muhammad Ajmal Cheema, the minister for industries, commerce and investment has said that efforts were being made to attract more foreign investment in the Punjab under the Chief Minister’s Vision-2020. Various projects, including a $2 billion sports city, were in the pipeline and these projects would bring prosperity to this part of the country, he said.

He said that government policies were in favour of the business community. “These are consistent policies, so there is no possibility of a policy U-Turn,” he said. He said the government was satisfied with Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company’s (PIEDMC) management and said that its performance was exemplary. The PIEDMC had completed more than 80% of all development work, which was a remarkable achievement, he said. Cheema said that cement production had increased by 160 percent over the last few years, which shows an increase in economic activity in the country. Chairman PIEDMC Mohsin Syed briefed the minister on the progress of these projects.

Cheema hoped that the total investment in Sundar Industrial Estate (SIE) would reach Rs 100 billion within 3 years. Talking to reporters after inaugurating a tree plantation at the SIE, the minister said the estate had attracted investments worth Rs 8 billion so far. Chairman PIEDMC Mohsin Syed and a number of industrialists were present on the occasion.

Cheema said that this rapid ‘colonisation’ of the industrial estate depicted the confidence investors had in government policies. Speaking on government efforts to replicate the Sundar Industrial Estate model in other parts of the province, Cheema said that Faisalabad Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (FIEDMC) had been formed. Faisalabad will soon have a garments city and a textile city on public-private partnership basis, he said. He said that the second phase of Multan Industrial Estate (MIE) had also started, with the objective to expedite the process of industrialization in Southern Punjab. Responding to a question, Cheema said that the annual loan disbursement by the Punjab Small Industries Corporation had touched Rs 3 billion whereas it was Rs 500 million a few years ago. staff report


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\05\story_5-8-2006_pg7_54

do you have to post every piece of news about lahore?

do you have to post every piece of news about lahore?

I've been longing to say the same thing. Especially when Sania quotes from unreliable sources such as 'Dailytimes'.

^ I had raised the same issue few months back... but I gave up eventually!

yes we did make her stop last time but shes started it again.

^ Seems like your talking about a fountain or something like that, you made it stop and its started again :o

I always thought the same thing, that why does every single news item have to be posted, regardless of its relevance on this board? Its really annoying.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Lahore-Sialkot motorway by end of 2007, vows CM

LAHORE: The Rs 20 billion Lahore-Sialkot motorway would be completed by the end of 2007 and would boost economic and industrial development, said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday.

Presiding over a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House, he said the 99-kilometre motorway would have six interchanges and 9 flyovers, and would be bordered by 3000 acres of Industrial zone, which would boost economic activity and create thousands of jobs. He said the road would save time for travellers to and from Sialkot, Wazirabad and Gujranwala and would boost export. Export processing zones would also be set up along the motorway, he said. Construction quality would be ensured, Elahi said, and a Project Management Unit had been formed to ensure state-of the-art management of the project.

Elahi said two new universities would be set up in the province in collaboration with Germany and Sweden, and a number of technical and vocational training institutions were being set up to produce skilled labour for the industry.

Elahi said the government was completing a number of large projects to alleviate poverty. Resources were being used for historic development in the province, he said. Improved roads and infrastructure would be key to improving the standard of living and attracting foreign and local investment, Elahi said, and modern principles of management would be used in all development projects. staff report

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\06\story_6-8-2006_pg13_4

:lol:

Sania please kindly just post relevant "progress" updates and news

Quote ' Export processing zones would also be set up along the motorway'





WHY dont they set up these Export processing zones and Industrial areas along the existing Lahore-Islamabad Motorway? :weird:

^ Because Sialkot and the surronding region is the export hub of Pakistan!

Lithotripsy machine worth Rs 27.5m starts working at LGH



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: The newly installed lithotripsy machine has started working at the urology department of Lahore General Hospital (LGH). The machine worth Rs 27.5 million will dissolve kidney stones up to 2.5 cms size without making patients unconscious.

Talking to the journalists at his office Wednesday, PGMI/LGH Principal and Professor of urology Dr Sajjad Hussain said the machine would save patients from going through operations to remove kidney stones.

Dr Sajjad said the computerized dialysis machines worth Rs l0 million had also been installed for better dialysis results. He said the machines could monitor the blood pressure and pulse of the patients. He said a couple of dialysis machines had also been allocated to hepatitis patients.

He said the urology department had only two dialysis machines 22 years ago but now they numbered 40. He said the up-gradation of all departments was going on along with the training of hospital doctors and staff. He said the establishment of a new PGMI building on the hospital premises would improve the working of the hospital. LGH Medical Superintendent Dr Ijaz Ahmad Sheikh and Associate Professor of Urology Dr Mumtaz Ahmad were also present on the occasion.

Five small hydro power stations to be set up in Punjab



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: The Punjab government will construct five small hydro power stations at District Pakpattan, Okara, Gujranwala, Shekhupura and Sialkot in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at a cost of US $10.80 million.

This was stated by Provincial Minister for Power Armughan Subhani while chairing a departmental meeting at his office on Tuesday. The meeting was also attended by Chief Engineer Power Ch Muhammad Yaqub and Project Manager Hydel Power Ch. Shoukat Ali.

The minister said that the Punjab government was utilising all possible resources for the construction of small hydro power stations.

Subhani said that the feasibility report of this project would be completed as early as possible and the PC-I of this power station would be sent to the federal government for approval at the end of this year.

He also directed Ch. Muhammad Yaqub to monitor the performance of private consultants hired by the power department and called their meeting on a weekly basis.

He also directed project manager Hydel Power to submit a comprehensive report about all identified sites for small hydro power stations on Punjab Canal within two months.

‘Over Rs 1b to be spent on Mass Transit System’



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Over a hundred billion rupees will be spent on the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System and this project will be completed by 2011.

This was stated by Punjab Minister for Transport Rana Shamshad Ahmed Khan while addressing a seminar held in connection with the feasibility study of this project at a local hotel here Wednesday.

The minister said that the feasibility report of the project had been completed and would be soon sent to the Punjab Chief Minister and Planning & Development Board.

He said that the second phase of the project would be started in the next fiscal year and will be completed in 2010-11. He said that the Punjab government had allocated huge funds in the current budget for this project.

The minister said the Mass Transit Train would run between Shahdara to Youhanabad. It will have 22 stations and cover 27 kilometers in 50 minutes.

‘Over Rs 1b to be spent on Mass Transit System’

Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Over a hundred billion rupees will be spent on the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System and this project will be completed by 2011.



anyone noticed the difference between the figures?

Sometimes I feel that Sania is just a computer which just transmits news from one place to another.

I'll talk to it today via PM

:|

anyone noticed the difference between the figures?

Exactly Huit, its this sort of carelessness which I mentioned on another forum that must be taken care of. Not only do our journalists use poor grammar, but they also don't get the facts straight!

Sometimes I feel that Sania is just a computer which just transmits news from one place to another.

I'll talk to it today via PM

:|

Maybe she's a Google bot! ;)

May there is no He or She it's just some kind of freek guy siting behinde the Computer and doing things :D just an theory guys :D

Yeah nothing is more annoying than poor journalism.. I mean seriously, why don't they just outsource if they have to!

I agree, and even newspapers like DAWN make silly mistakes like "Rain an poor roads create havoc"

There have been alot mistakes in DAWN lately.

^^^ hmm i think you ppl are gettin off topic dont you thing bro's we need to discuss lahore

Friday, August 11, 2006

Tube trains coming in 2010: CM

* 27-km first phase will have 22 stations from Hamza Town to Shahdara

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Lahore Mass Transit System (LMTS) project will be launched in 2007 and its first phase will be completed by 2010, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said on Thursday.

Presiding over a meeting at Chief Minister’s Secretariat to review the progress of the LMTS project, he said the project consisted of an underground tube train and a ground level rail system.

The large project would provide modern travel facilities and improve the standards of living, he said, and a separate authority would be formed to supervise the project’s implementation.

The 27-kilometre first phase of the project (from Hamza Town to Shahdara) will have 22 stations, of which 12 will be underground. 12 kilometres of the route (Hamza Town to Liner Park, Model Town) will be at ground level, while 10 kilometres from Liner Park to Data Darbar via Ferozepur Road, Fatima Jinnah Road, The Mall and Lower Mall, and the 5 kilometres from Data Darbar via Badshahi Mosque to Shahdara, will be underground.

The second phase will begin from Thokar Niaz Beg and end at the GT Road, via Chauburji, GPO Chowk, McLeod Road and Railway Station.

He said international investors were showing keen interest in the Rs 155 billion project, which would create jobs, boost construction activity, improve the city’s image and promote tourism. Elahi said the government was trying to improve communication and eliminate environmental pollution, and the electricity-powered LMTS would help achieve the goals.

Mazhar Iqbal, the regional director of MVA Asia Ltd, gave a briefing about the project. Provincial Transport Minister Rana Shamshad Ahmed, Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, Planning and Development Chairman Suleman Ghani, Transport Secretary Agha Nadeem, Communication and Works Secretary Ahmed Yar, District Coordination Officer Mian Ejaz and Special Finance Secretary Azmat Ali Ranjha were also present on the occasion.

Home | National

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\08\11\story_11-8-2006_pg7_23

Can anyone outline the mass transit system's route on a Lahore map or Google Earth screen shot?

Here's a detailed map:

http://pakistanmaps.fortunecity.com/lahore_city_map_1.gif

" the electricity-powered LMTS ", with all the power shortages and load-sheding that goes on is this really a good idea? I mean how reliable would an electrically run system be if it experiences constant power disruptions? I hope they build some mechanism to prioritise power for the trains.

^^ i think they use different power for the trains... besides, i m not sure but i think the trains run on DC currents(like the ones in paris run on 750v DC and have a different power mechanism)

" the electricity-powered LMTS ", with all the power shortages and load-sheding that goes on is this really a good idea? I mean how reliable would an electrically run system be if it experiences constant power disruptions? I hope they build some mechanism to prioritise power for the trains.
i think that there will be no power shortages(Insha-allah) in future( i mean 2013-2014 and onward) because the big dams of Pakistan would have started completing by that time.....................;)......and if any body took care of power and implemented then there wil be no power shortages in future(insha-allah)..............
"I AM NOT SO SURE BUT I AM TOOOOOOOOO MUSCH HOPEFUL ABOUT PAKISTAN'S FUTURE...;)"

^^^ i dont thinks so.. that dams will be ready or near completion by that time... they are big dams and need lots of time to get built... and i dont see the construction of bhasha and kala bag dam in near 1-2 years

Gulberg Town Council’s proposal to upgrade Liberty Market:

Salt n’ Pepper-UCH road to be no-vehicle zone

* Parking will be available next to Liberty Park and UCH for customers
* MM Alam Road to be aesthetically improved

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The Gulberg Town Council has planned to tile the road in front of Salt n’ Pepper in Liberty Market, designate it a vehicle-free zone and construct a parking plaza next to Liberty Park and to improve the way MM Alam Road looks, town council sources told Daily Times on Wednesday.

They said the plan, called Liberty upgrade, would cost about Rs 100 million and that the town council would ask the Punjab government for financial support. Sources said traders, customers and people living around Liberty Market had complained that the area had deteriorated because of increasing traffic and commercial activity. They said Gulberg Town Nazim Faraz Chaudhry had called a meeting of the Gulberg Traders Association on Wednesday and presented the plan to them.

The proposal revolves around making the whole of Liberty Market vehicle-free and is divided into several phases. The first phase will work at making the area around Salt n’ Pepper vehicle-free and the road leading from the service lane that United Christian Hospital (UCH) is situated on to Salt n’ Pepper restaurant, all the way behind the plaza Al Fatah is in, up to Liberty Park will be tiled (similar to a small section of Anarkali). That way, the area behind the plaza Al Fatah is in can be utilised by traders and converted into a shopping area. Currently, major departmental stores in the area are using the lane as a stocking alley.

Sources said customers wanting to enter the area from the UCH side would be provided parking adjacent to the hospital and would have to walk their way to the Salt n’ Pepper area, while a parking plaza would be constructed next to Liberty Market for customers wanting to approach the same area from main Liberty Market.

About making MM Alam Road look good, sources said the basic problem in the area was the absence of an efficient sewerage disposal system. They said that although the city government was generating millions of rupees from the road by allowing commercial activity flourish, it had not bothered to lay larger sewerage pipes, causing the road to become a raging torrent during the rains.

They also said the town council had planned to replace all sewerage pipes and construct proper footpaths along MM Alam Road to facilitate people visiting restaurants and shops. They said the town council had also told the owners of restaurants and other buildings on the same road to improve the front portions of their constructions and install lighting so that the road looks good.

Sources said that about 15 years ago Gulberg was considered to be one of the best areas to live in, but now because of commercialisation the area had deteriorated and become too polluted and clogged with traffic.

Main Boulevard: This main thoroughfare has become a centre of commercial activity, with shopping plazas and multinational companies lining the road.

Main Boulevard, Garden Town: The area from Kalma Chowk to Barkat Market is the second most commercialised portion of Gulberg.

MM Alam Road: Property prices on the road have skyrocketed and are considered to be the same as property on Main Boulevard.

Faraz Chaudhry told Daily Times that the Liberty Market up-gradation plan would not only help customers, but also help traders in establishing new businesses in the area.

He said that commercialisation had converted the area into a downscale market and that traders supported the town council’s plan.

Home | Lahore

------------------------

well i had just emailed a very simular suggestion for mm alam road and liberty market to the nazim, 3 weeks ago. :no:

http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/28/SlideShow/pic15.jpg
LAHORE - August 27, 2006: Work in progress on new emergency block of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/28/SlideShow/pic15.jpg

^ ???

http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/28/SlideShow/pic15.jpg


http://www.dawn.com/2006/08/28/SlideShow/pic15.jpg

This is the extension of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital made on Queens Road or Shahrah-e-Fatima Jinnah.... They have connected the new building with the old one through an underpass which will ease movement of patients doctors and ppl below the road without obstructing the road traffic. The road however was closed for two months while work on underpass was being done which eventually let to traffic congestion in the area.

LAHORE,Aug 31 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister, Ch. Pervaiz Elahi Thursday said the provincial government will give 20 per cent subsidy on the purchase of new CNG buses.

He announced this while presiding over a high level meeting regarding promotion of CNG transport in the province at the Chief Minister’s House, here Thursday.

The CM said the Punjab Green Fund Programme (PGFP) was being successfully carried out while the Bank of Punjab, Small Industries Corporation and Punjab Cooperative Bank, were ensuring provision of loans for the purchase of CNG rickshaws under the comprehensive programme launched by the government for the promotion of CNG transport.

He said the promotion of CNG transport, was producing good effects on traffic management and environment.

Pervaiz Elahi directed to take action against the vans plying unlawfully on various routes and urged that the ban on two-stroke rickshaws at the Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam, be strictly implemented.

He said special attention was being given to the provision of clean environment and better transport facilities to the masses throughout the province.

The Chief Minister said diesel buses were being converted into CNG under a phased programme.

Expressing satisfaction over the continuing of Green Rickshaw Scheme successfully, he said it was producing wholesome effects on the environment while masses were getting better transport facilities.

The Chief Minister expressed hope that the programme would not only increase income of the CNG rickshaw drivers but also control pollution.

He said parking lots for the CNG rickshaws at the airport, railways station and at other important places, would be fixed.

He added that the government would provide additional resources worth Rs.500 million to the Small Industries Corporation for the CNG rickshaw scheme.

The Chief Minister said the government would encourage students to travel by buses as the traffic problem get intensified with the closure of school timgings.

He said the government would bear subsidy on the purchase of CNG buses by the private educational institutions.

He also made it clear that CNG rickshaws would be provided to 100,000 applicants in three years to change two-stroke rickshaws in big cities due to which 100,000 families would be benefited.

Provincial Transport Minister Rana Shamshad Ahmad Khan, District Nazim Lahore Mian Amir Mahmood, Chairman P&D Suleman Ghani, Secretary Transport Agha Nadeem, Secretary P&D Sohail Ahmad, Secretary Finance Azmat Ali Ranjha, Managing Director Bank of Punjab Hamesh Khan, MD Small Industries Corporation Muhammad Ali Ghardezi, Registrar Punjab Cooperatives Hassan Iqbal, DCO Lahore Mian Ijaz and other top officials also attended the meeting. Secretary Transport, Agha Nadeem gave briefing regarding the promotion of CNG transport.

Provincial Transport Minister, Rana Shamshad Ahmad Khan pointed out that new employment opportunities had been created by the four-Stroke CNG Rickshaw Scheme. He said radical changes were being brought about in the urban transport system of the province in accordance with the Chief Minister’s directions.

District Nazim Lahore Mian Amir Mahmood expressed the hope that the promotion of CNG transport would help improve traffic management system and environment.

www.app.com.pk

I haven't seen a thread about this, so I am starting with a tender notice I saw in paper a few days back. The building will have a stained glass dome, making it perhaps the most beautiful legislature in the country:

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/9731/07092006013011bq5.jpg


:)

Completely stupid when the current building is great looking and efficient.

Why does the Punjab assembly need to have a new and bejewelled building?? isnt the current one good enough?

That is such a total waste of money that could be spent in other better things. Is everybody educated yet in Punjab? Is everybody getting access to good healthcare yet? Why is this kingly service going on for the legislators then to feed their egos more?

Actually, the reforms of Punjab actually do go through to both Urban and Rural areas. Which compared to other provinces is quite good. Pervaiz Elahi in his address accepts he failed in Healthcare and Education and he will be promoting those sectors. Lets see how long it takes to promote these sectors.

Well, I would suggest the Government to start serving the PUBLIC before it starts serving itself!

There is absolutely no need of such a wasteful expenditure.

Completely stupid when the current building is great looking and efficient.

Until u realize that the present building was constructed in 1935, and can only accommodate 263 members out of 371, resulting in 108 members sitting in the visitor's gallery. How can u expect them to do a good job when they don't even have proper seating? Sure we can talk about peace of mind for every employee in an organization for motivation but hardly do we spare a thought for our reps.

^ I would be really surprised if they do a good job after they are accomodated inside the assembly hall!

Until u realize that the present building was constructed in 1935, and can only accommodate 263 members out of 371, resulting in 108 members sitting in the visitor's gallery. How can u expect them to do a good job when they don't even have proper seating? Sure we can talk about peace of mind for every employee in an organization for motivation but hardly do we spare a thought for our reps.
Thats about 108 less corrupt members in my parliament building. :)

ha ha ha
well said up :)

instead of spending money on stuff like this which would benefit no one....they should spend money towards the poor like swerveut said

11 Sep, 2006: Reconstruction of Ravi Road from Niazi Shaheed Chowk to Minar-e-Pakistan has been approved in principle and work on the project would be kicked of very soon.

District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood informed this while talking to Niazir Chohan, Waqar Hussain and other QTI traders who called on him at his official residence at Upper Mall, Sunday. Circular Road from Aik Morya Pull to Fort Road would also be improved and rehabilitated at a cost of Rs 12 million by the City District Government, Lahore, during the ongoing fiscal year, he added. Proposal for exempting Shahdara residents from paying toll tax at Ravi Bridge had also been forwarded to the provincial government for approval, the nazim assured.

Mian Amer Mahmood disclosed that for encouraging construction of parking plazas in Lahore, the City District Government, Lahore had also declared them exempted from payment of all types of dues including commercialization fee and site-plan approval fee. The CDGL had decided not to collect any charges from the under construction five storied parking plaza at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry office situated at Race Course Road, he maintained.

The district nazim told that Multan Road was an approach road of Lahore Ring Road (LRR). Therefore, its improvement too, was a part of this 61 Kilometers long LRR project. Although the construction of this six lane LRR would cost Rs.20 billion, the Punjab government has decided that it would be a toll free road for more than four hundred thousand vehicles passing through it every day, he added.

Giving details of proposed new roads in the city, Mian Amer Mahmood informed that an expenditure of more than Rs.1.2 billion would be incurred by the City District Government, Lahore for constructing major roads in Lahore during the current fiscal year.

The district nazim told that major road construction projects that would be carried out during the ongoing financial year include building of Bahawalpur Road from Qurtaba Chowk to Chouburji, Egerton Road, Empress Road, Allama Iqbal Road, Litton Road, Hall Road and Bedon Road.

lahore.gov.pk

09 Sep, 2006: District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood has said that keeping in view the futuristic business needs of the City of Lahore a Master Plan for the development of infrastructure has already been prepared and is in implementation phase.

The District Nazim was speaking at inauguration ceremony of Lahore Hall of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday. LCCI President Mian Shafqat Ali, Senior Vice Abdul Basit, Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra, former LCCI/FPCCI President Iftikhar Ali Malik and former SVP Sohail Lashari also spoke on the occasion.

The District Nazim who spoke at length highlighted the various issues ranging from Traffic mess at City roads to draining out of rainy water. Mian Amer Mahmood said that the roads of Lahore are wider than that of London so there is a need to improve traffic discipline to solve all traffic related issues.

He said that only to encourage parking plazas in the City, the district government has done away with all types of taxes including commercialization and map approval fee. Mian Amer Mahmood said that to smoothen the flow of traffic in City, the government has already completed recruitments of 3000 new police cops on the pattern of Motorway Police.

He said that light transit rail project for City has been finalized and in the first phase the train would run from Kotlakhpat to Ravi Bridge on which daily 2.5 lakh people would travel. The District Nazim said that number of Franchise buses in the City is also being increased. He said that due to district government efforts the pumping out of rainy water in the City was quite speedy this time as compared to Karachi and Hyderabad where the rains had played havoc. Mian Amer Mahmood said that plan is on the anvil to done away with toll tax at Ravi Bridge as a suggestion to this regard had already been forward to the concerned authorities.

Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Mian Shafqat Ali said that over the last couple of years the macro economic indicators of the country have shown a significant improvement as a result of a series of reforms undertaken by the Government in different areas such as fiscal discipline, privatization, governance etc. Under the second-generation reforms, which is to be a more challenging job, Government is to withdraw itself from doing business but to confine its role to providing an investment friendly environment to the private sector. Private sector is to play the role of an engine of growth.

The LCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Basit said that there has been a mushroom growth of encroachments in the city, which is creating problems for the citizens and the commuters. This mess needs to be cleared forthwith and Rule of Law established. It is suggested that an aggressive clean up operation should be initiated.

The LCCI Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra said that Local Bodies of Punjab are charging Rs 5/- per sq.ft for issuance of N.O.C. and Rs 5/- per sq.ft for building plan approval for establishment of industry in Punjab. These rates differ from district to district.

The former LCCI/ FPCCI President Iftikhar Ali Malik stressed the need for a proper system for the transportation of school children as this would not only solve traffic mess on City roads but would also save a lot of time of the commuters.

lahore.gov.pk

does anyone know when the actual work on the mono rail project will start???

More work on Ring Road

LAHORE: The construction of a section of Lahore Ring Road (LRR) from Gulshan Ravi to Khaira Distributory, which is around 47 kilometres long, will be completed by December 2007 at a cost of Rs 24.8 billion.

Punjab Communication and Works (C&W) Minister Chaudhry Zaheerud Din Khan stated this while chairing the LRR project’s review meeting at his office. The meeting was informed that the Niazi Chowk interchange had been completed while the road from Niazi Chowk to Saggian Chowk was near completion. Likewise, the work on the Saggian Chowk interchange, the road from Saggian Chowk to Gulshan Ravi, that from Niazi Chowk to Mehmood Booti, the road from Barki to Ghazi Road and Lakhudair to Grand Trunk (GT) Road and that from Mehmood Booti to Lakhudair was in progress.

The meeting was also told that tenders for construction of the Airport Access Road interchange, the road from Harbanspura to the airport, the Harbanspura Canal crossing interchange and the link road from Ghazi Road to Bedian Road had been received and were being scrutinised.

Chaudhry Zaheer told C&W officials to accelerate the pace of work on the public welfare project so that it could be completed in time. He said that the government was taking all possible measures to provide comfortable and quick means of communication to the people. The minister said that more large-scale projects would be launched soon in the provincial capital to solve traffic problems.

C&W Secretary Ahmad Yar Khan, Additional Secretary Technical Masoodur Rasool, Chief Engineer Works (North) Muhammad Iqbal Khokhar, Superintending Engineer Munawar Bashir, Road Construction Executive Engineer Sarfraz Butt and other officials attended the meeting. staff report

Home | Lahore

Computerised number plate system a ‘go’

* System will be extended to other large cities by December: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz inaugurated the computerised vehicle-registration and number-plate system for Lahore and said the system will be extended to Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and Bahawalpur by December 2007.

According to a press release on Tuesday, he said the system would help decrease car theft, make excise and taxation more efficient, facilitate citizens and ensure transparency in the registration process.

Elahi said the Information Technology (IT) sector was being strengthened in line with the demands of good governance and reforms have been introduced in every sector. The Punjab IT Board was playing an important role in the promotion of IT, he said. A Software Information Technology Park was being set up in Lahore for Rs 2.5 billion, he said, and it would create 10,000 direct and thousands of indirect jobs. Call centres and business process outsourcing companies would be set up in the IT park, he said, which would increase foreign investment in the province.

Revue record was being computerised under the Land Record Management Information System, he said, which would rid people of the Patwari culture and eliminate the misuse of power by revenue department officials. People would be able to obtain all revenue documents easily and irregularities in properties transactions would be stopped, Elahi said. The computerisation of Punjab Highways Patrol would begin soon with British Telecom’s cooperation, he added.

The chief minister inspected the equipment for computerisation and a computerised number plate was fixed on his car. Punjab IT Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said that the new system of number plates and registration would greatly help citizens and Punjab Chief Secretary Salman Siddique said the reforms introduced under the chief minister’s Vision 2020 had begun to yield positive results.

Other provincial ministers, IT secretary Nazir Saeed and Excise and Taxation Secretary Javed Aslam were also present on the occasion. staff report

Home | Lahore

He said further that the government was promoting industrialisation in the province and private investments of Rs 9 billion had been made in various sectors in Sundar Industrial Estate so far and that Pepsi International was setting up a factory with an investment of $25 million. He said that Sheikh Zayed Trade Centre was being built at a cost of $400 million, which would consist of four towers and a five star hotel. He said that this project would also generate 25,000 job opportunities. He said that an industrial estate was also being set up in Faisalabad on 3,000 acres of land.

Elahi said that the government had also evolved the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway project, which would promote development in those areas. He said that a software technology park was being built to improve the information technology sector. He said that all public transport means were being converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) under the Green Punjab Programme, which would help control environmental pollution. He said that the Lahore Mass Transit Rail Project had been planned which would result in modern and comfortable travelling facilities to citizens. He said that the government was ensuring the supply of potable water to citizens on a priority basis and the sewage and sanitation systems were also being upgraded. He said that a century-old irrigation system was being rehabilitated and modernised which had had a positive impact on the agriculture sector.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\09\19\story_19-9-2006_pg7_35

Lahore: Meeting on 30th to review and remove objections on LRMTS and LRR
Land In Shahdara And Kahna For Mass Transit System Workshop
P&D Dept calls meeting on 30th to review and remove objections on LRMTS and LRR

Daily Times - Lahore: The city government has decided to buy 12.5 acres in Shahdara and 37.5 acres in Kahna to set up a workshop-cum-depot for the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS).

Separately, the Planning and Development (P&D) Department has called a meeting of the Transport Department, Communication and Works (C&W) Department and city government officials on September 30 to review progress on LRMTS and the Lahore Ring Road (LRR) and to remove technical objections over starting both projects.

Officials told Daily Times on Wednesday that although acquiring the two pieces of land in north and south of city was a major breakthrough with regard to the LRMTS project, it would be tough for authorities to start another project while LRR was being worked on.

However, officials said, the September 30 meeting was called because the chief minister had empowered the P&D Department to resolve technical objections brought up in the designs of LRMTS and LRR. The C&W Department is in charge of LRR while the Transport Department is in charge of LRMTS.

Officials also said LRMTS’ design had been approved and out of the total 26 kilometres, 16 kilometres were elevated while the rest was underground. They said investors had expressed reservations over funding for the project because of its revised cost of $2.4 billion. However, they said, government authorities had forwarded the approved LRMTS design to several international monitory institutions including the World Bank for funding.

About LRMTS’ design, officials said the elevated part of Green Line would start from Shahdara, pass through Ravi Road, Hazrat Data Gunj Buksh shrine, Lower Mall, Mall Road, Queens Road and Ferozepur Road near Kalma Chowk from where it would go underground, pass through Model Town I and II, General Hospital and conclude at Kahna.

Officials said the design proposed 19 stops on Green Line including Shahdara, Timber Market, Bhaati Gate, Lahore Museum, Regal Chowk, Ganga Ram Hospital, Mozang Chungi, Ichhra, Wahdat Road, Qaddafi Stadium, Kalma Chowk, Model Town I, Model Town II and Kahna.

They said train stops on the elevated line would be designed like overhead bridges, while four-row stations would be designed for the underground line. Officials said the London and New Delhi underground systems were being reviewed and studied for LRMTS

ISLAMABAD: 500 acre land allotted for Lahore Internet City

The Punjab government has earmarked 500 acre land to establish Lahore Internet City in the provincial capital, Chairman Information Technology Board Punjab Rizwan Amin Sheikh said Wednesday.



The allocated land would be developed under public-private partnership. The Punjab government would also develop basic infrastructure of Lahore Internet City.



The foreign investors would be invited to develop their software houses and call centres on nominal lease and rental charges, he told.



Another programme was being finalised to provide internet facilities in all rural areas of the province through optic and satellite. Dishes would be affixed at various institutes of the province for ensuring uninterrupted facilities.



Punjab government has also allocated Rs 250 million for human capital development. The basic computer training would be imparted to youth of the province. Punjab government is paying 80 percent while the candidates would be required to pay 20 percent fee.



Further more, a Software Technology Park would be set up in the province with the estimated cost of Rs 2.2 billion. The park would help creating 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.



According to experts the Software Technology Park would generate business activity of around Rs 09 billion. Courtesy the Post

Whats the latest on Lahore IMAX? Any updates?

Whats the latest on Lahore IMAX? Any updates?

http://www.urbanpk.com/modules/Forums/index.php?act=module&module=gallery&cmd=si&img=920

Taken August 29th

second phase of MCB punjab head quarter to start with in 2-3 months which will cosist of 24 stories building it will be built behid the exisiting under constrution building.


412 feet tower is in its stage of launching in gulberg

Rs 133.5m to be spent on MM Alam Road



Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Lahore District Nazim Mian Aamer Mehmood has said that a grant of Rs 133.5 million will be spent on dualisation and widening of M.M. Alam Road here in Gulberg area.

Chairing a meeting held to finalise the project here on Thursday, he said that after replacement of water supply, sewerage, Sui gas and telephone lines, the road project would be completed within four months.

Aamer said the three-kilometre long road between Firdus Market and Main Market would have three lanes on each side, while traffic signals at all junctions and sodium lights throughout the road would be installed. Wide footpaths for pedestrians on both sides of the road and a drain for immediate release of rainwater would be special features of the project, he added.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=63604&catid=3

MM Alam Road looking for a Rs 133m facelift

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The district government has formally approved a project to remodel MM Alam Road (the near three kilometre stretch of road from Firdous Market to Main Market Gulberg), at a projected cost of Rs 133.35 million.

This decision was taken on Thursday in a meeting chaired by District Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood and attended by Lahore District Coordination Officer Mian Ejaz and officials from the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA), Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) and other provincial and federal government departments.

According to the proposed remodelling plan, MM Alam Road will be a dual carriageway with three lanes on either side. To facilitate the swift drainage of rainwater that accumulates on the road during the monsoon, a new drainage system will also be laid and traffic signals will be installed at major intersections. Officials said that international-standard sodium streetlights would be installed along the road and a sidewalk would be constructed all along the road.

As part of the remodelling plan, it was also decided that the electricity lines along the road would be shifted closer to the houses and business establishments and temporary alternative arrangements would be made for the underground phone, gas and sewage systems over four months.

However district government sources said that just shifting the utility services alone would take at least six months.

Property prices on MM Alam Road have skyrocketed in recent years and are almost as high as the prices of properties on the Gulberg Main Boulevard.

This is mainly because of the status MM Alam Road now enjoys as a major culinary and commercial hub of Lahore, with some of the city’s choicest restaurants and shops located there. So it is no surprise that very few plots or houses are available for residential purposes. An area controlled by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), MM Alam Road had long been plagued by traffic congestion, a bad sewage system and unchecked commercial development.

Mubarak Ali, a resident of Javed Iqbal Road, near the under-construction IMAX Theatre said that it was nearly impossible to negotiate MM Alam Road between 1pm and 3pm, since so many private schools closed at that time, and there were several of those on MM Alam Road. In addition to schoolchildren, restaurant-goers who come for lunch added to the chaos.

About unplanned commercial growth on the road, Hussain Chowk resident Yasir said that residential units had been turned into hotels and schools when they were clearly not meant for those purposes.

Traffic police officials are also absent from the road most of the time, leaving the stuck motorists to fend for themselves. “Once a fortnight, a policeman will come along and direct traffic when the situation gets really bad,” said a shopkeeper.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\10\13\story_13-10-2006_pg13_1

http://www.urbanpk.com/modules/Forums/index.php?act=module&module=gallery&cmd=si&img=920

Taken August 29th

looks u/c & thats good. I remember this project being announced a while back.

Are they going to underground the electric wire system too on that road?

Are they going to underground the electric wire system too on that road?

Probaly since the poles will have to be moved anyway.

no they want do that^^^^

they'd be down right stupid if they dont!

As part of the remodelling plan, it was also decided that the electricity lines along the road would be shifted closer to the houses and business establishments and temporary alternative arrangements would be made for the underground phone, gas and sewage systems over four months.

WTF!!!

I think they are just going to build the poles on the side of the road again. If these idiots do not make the electrical system on the road underground they deserve a brutal beating for being downright pathetic.

well i dnt think they have that sort of money but i hope they move the electric wires behind the road.

Hmmmm i had a different vision for this place.
The roads could be paved and traffic closed at nite and allow maximum pedestrian movement on this road and develop into a food park type bazaar for social interaction. Provide underground ultility facilities and surplus car parking to over come commuter problems.

What i see is that the goverment juss plan n plan but doesnt conduct a long-term survey of their plans of development. The plan doesnt me how traffic problems on a broader scale are resolved. If it take me 25min plus to drive from one corner to another, i wonder how much it will take in the next 5 years time. There are about 4 new multistorey building coming up on this road and all will double tripple the commuter on this route. A productive plan should be made instead which could help generate a large sum of revenue from this area and be utilized to resolve the urban problems of this place!!

I would hate it if they turned MM Alam into a pedestrian only zone considering the traffic that is on the roads will put pressure on other streets. Why should we develop another food street when we already have on in Gawalmandi?

I would hate it if they turned MM Alam into a pedestrian only zone considering the traffic that is on the roads will put pressure on other streets. Why should we develop another food street when we already have on in Gawalmandi?

I agree with you .. .I'm unhappy about this stupid thing they should use underground for all the electrical system man i Hate :doh: ugly wires everywhere :banned:

well i dnt think they have that sort of money but i hope they move the electric wires behind the road.

These people are stupid, I have given up on them. Long term planning isn't in their vocabulary.http://images.fok.nl/s/nooo.gif