Lahore: Progress News & Updates (PART II) [Archive]

X-entric

July 27th, 2006, 02:53 PM

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

pakboy

July 27th, 2006, 06:32 PM

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

Sania

July 28th, 2006, 04:22 PM

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

Sania

July 28th, 2006, 04:35 PM

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.

Sania

July 28th, 2006, 04:43 PM

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

Sania

July 28th, 2006, 04:56 PM

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.

Sania

July 28th, 2006, 04:59 PM

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

Huma

July 28th, 2006, 06:01 PM

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

pakboy

July 28th, 2006, 07:44 PM

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

X-entric

July 29th, 2006, 03:47 AM

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

pakboy

July 29th, 2006, 03:58 AM

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

Sania

July 29th, 2006, 04:37 PM

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

Sania

July 29th, 2006, 04:44 PM

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

Sania

July 29th, 2006, 04:48 PM

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

X-entric

July 30th, 2006, 08:23 AM

Tagga

July 30th, 2006, 08:27 PM

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

Sania

July 31st, 2006, 05:01 PM

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

Sania

July 31st, 2006, 05:10 PM

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

Sania

July 31st, 2006, 05:11 PM

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

pakboy

August 1st, 2006, 02:45 PM

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

waqar

August 1st, 2006, 03:39 PM

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

waqar

August 1st, 2006, 03:42 PM

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

pakboy

August 1st, 2006, 07:05 PM

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

X-entric

August 2nd, 2006, 01:30 AM

Where is this MCB tower located?

PakiDoperz

August 2nd, 2006, 08:18 AM

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

Sania

August 2nd, 2006, 12:50 PM

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

Sania

August 2nd, 2006, 12:51 PM

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.

Sania

August 2nd, 2006, 12:55 PM

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.

X-entric

August 2nd, 2006, 07:24 PM

^^^ 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!

PakiDoperz

August 2nd, 2006, 08:50 PM

^^^ nops

pakboy

August 2nd, 2006, 09:50 PM

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

Sikandar

August 2nd, 2006, 10:40 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:15 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:18 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:30 PM

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.

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:37 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:39 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:42 PM

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.

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:43 PM

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.

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:47 PM

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.

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:48 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:51 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:52 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 04:59 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 05:00 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 05:02 PM

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 05:04 PM

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

Sania

August 5th, 2006, 05:04 PM

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

pakboy

August 5th, 2006, 05:57 PM

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

m2sheikh

August 5th, 2006, 11:08 PM

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'.

huit

August 6th, 2006, 12:17 AM

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

pakboy

August 6th, 2006, 12:53 AM

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

August 6th, 2006, 01:01 AM

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

oogabooga

August 6th, 2006, 01:37 AM

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.

Sania

August 6th, 2006, 04:58 PM

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

August 6th, 2006, 06:33 PM

:lol:

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

X-entric

August 7th, 2006, 06:48 AM

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:

Intoxication

August 7th, 2006, 09:21 PM

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

Sania

August 10th, 2006, 03:43 PM

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.

Sania

August 10th, 2006, 03:44 PM

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.

Sania

August 10th, 2006, 03:46 PM

‘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.

huit

August 10th, 2006, 04:28 PM

August 10th, 2006, 04:48 PM

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

:|

Khanrak

August 11th, 2006, 12:22 AM

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!

huit

August 11th, 2006, 01:13 AM

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! ;)

waqar

August 11th, 2006, 04:09 AM

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

Sikandar

August 11th, 2006, 04:38 AM

Yeah nothing is more annoying than poor journalism.. I mean seriously, why don't they just outsource if they have to!

August 11th, 2006, 08:38 AM

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.

PakiDoperz

August 12th, 2006, 06:47 AM

^^^ hmm i think you ppl are gettin off topic dont you thing bro's we need to discuss lahore

Sania

August 12th, 2006, 12:20 PM

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

Unregistered

August 12th, 2006, 01:34 PM

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

adil

August 13th, 2006, 08:11 AM

August 15th, 2006, 09:19 PM

^^ 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)

pakimuslim

August 16th, 2006, 12:46 PM

" 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...;)"

PakiDoperz

August 16th, 2006, 04:16 PM

^^^ 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

pakboy

August 17th, 2006, 04:31 AM

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:

singaporean

August 29th, 2006, 12:18 PM

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

huit

August 29th, 2006, 04:19 PM

^ ???

Techno-Architect

August 30th, 2006, 12:28 AM

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.

vazim

August 31st, 2006, 08:52 PM

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

vazim

September 13th, 2006, 07:55 PM

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

vazim

September 13th, 2006, 08:03 PM

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

Stonned_Immaculate

September 14th, 2006, 10:55 AM

does anyone know when the actual work on the mono rail project will start???

Sania

September 25th, 2006, 05:39 PM

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

Sania

September 25th, 2006, 05:46 PM

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

Sania

September 25th, 2006, 05:49 PM

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

pakboy

September 29th, 2006, 12:50 AM

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

pakboy

September 29th, 2006, 12:53 AM

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

Hindustani

October 5th, 2006, 04:31 AM

Whats the latest on Lahore IMAX? Any updates?

UnitedPakistan

October 5th, 2006, 04:37 AM

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

PakiDoperz

October 9th, 2006, 07:50 PM

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

Hindustani

October 14th, 2006, 02:15 AM

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.

X-entric

October 15th, 2006, 10:01 AM

What about Canal Road expansion? Did it start?

PakiDoperz

October 15th, 2006, 02:01 PM

^^^ nops its hasnt started yet... and i dontthink the work will start within 6-8 months... we will have to wait

huit

October 20th, 2006, 09:26 PM

Tenders being invited for two roads and a junction

* Bypass from Thokar Niaz Beg to College Road
* Dual Carriageway Johar Town to Khayaban-e-Jinnah
* Traffic junction at Pekhewal Mor

Staff Report

LAHORE: The district government may invite tenders for three large development projects worth about Rs 500 million, within a week. The projects are likely to be completed in six months and are expected to solve southern Lahore’s traffic problems.

Official said the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) had completed feasibility studies for a bypass from Thokar Niaz Beg to College Road, a dual carriageway from Johar Town to Khayaban-e-Jinnah and the Pekhewal Mor traffic junction, and had proposed that the projects be completed in six months. The Rs 320 million six-kilometre bypass from Thokar Niaz Beg to College Road would accommodate traffic from about 15 densely populated localities including Township, Johar Town, WAPDA Town, NESPAK Housing Society, PIA Housing Society, PCSIR Housing Society and Abdalians Housing Society. About five kilometres of land have been acquired from various housing societies and a kilometre of land from individuals.

Officials said a second phase had also been proposed for the project in which a dual carriageway would be made from College Road to Ferozepur Road. The proposed project would be initiated in the next fiscal year, they said.

About Rs 80 million have been sanctioned for the 8-kilometre dual carriageway from Main Johar Town Road to Khayaban-e-Jinnah, officials said. About 3.5 kilometres have been acquired from private housing societies and the rest from individuals.

The district government was considering a proposal for another dial carriageway from Shaukat Khanam Hospital to Raiwand City after the completion of the project, they said.

A traffic junction similar to that on Zafar Ali Road will be built at Pekhewal Mor, officials said, but will be much larger than the former. About Rs 60 million have been sanctioned for the project, which will ease traffic on Wahdat Road, Punjab University New Campus and the Allama Iqbal Town. Punjab University would collaborate on the project, they said.

The Punjab government has also speeded up the finalisation of Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) with the help of the city government and briefed Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on the revised project on October 18.

The revised cost of the project is about $2.4 billion, officials said, and international monitory institutions have shown interests in the build-operate-transfer project.

Officials said the Punjab government believed that traffic problems in Lahore would spiral out of control in a decade if the LRMTS project was not completed.

pakboy

October 22nd, 2006, 02:27 AM

PU okays Rs 45m for Musicology block

Singing, dancing classes likely next year

Khalid Khattak

LAHORE: The Punjab University administration has given the go-ahead for a Rs 45 million project to construct a separate block for the newly introduced Department of Performing Arts in the varsity's College of Arts and Design (CAD) at Old Campus, PU officials told The Post Saturday.

They said the PU's newly launched MA Musicology classes would also be shifted to CAD on a permanent basis soon after the construction of the new building.

Classes of the PU's most controversial programme, MA Musicology, are being held at Alhamra, The Mall, though there is enough space in CAD for these classes.

A music teacher, asking not to be named, told The Post that only one classroom was enough for MA Musicology students because there were only eight students in the programme's maiden batch. The teacher said the PU administration's reluctance to continue Musicology classes at Alhamra showed that the administration had taken this step under Islami Jamiat Talaba's (IJT) pressure.

A senior PU official, seeking anonymity, told The Post that a meeting, chaired by PU Vice Chancellor Lt Gen (r) Arshad Mahmood, approved Rs 45 million last week for the Department of Performing Arts. The official said apart from MA Musicology, other performing arts programmes including singing, dancing, puppetry, video and TV production and direction would also be launched at CAD by the PU Department of Performing Arts.

He said theses programmes were likely to be launched from the next academic session and the PU administration was busy searching for qualified teachers for these programmes. CAD Principal Hasan Shahnawaz Zaidi confirmed that Rs 45 million had been approved to construct a new block in Department of Performing Arts at the PU Old Campus.

Dispelling the impression that MA Musicology classes were being held at Alhamra due to IJT's fear, Zaidi said CAD was facing an acute shortage of space and therefore classes were being conducted at Alhamra. "Music classes will be shifted to CAD when the new block will be constructed," he added. IJT has been staging protests against MA Musicology since the programme's commencement. IJT activists say that the commencement of music classes was against the teachings of Islam as well as the ideology of Pakistan. They say music classes were an attempt to promote secularism in the varsity.

Meanwhile, IJT activists, Allah Bux Laghari and Hafiz Muhammad Hasaan told reporters that a protest day would be observed across the province on Eid against music classes. They said the IJT would request religious scholars to shape public opinion on the issue. They said the varsity administration was tarnishing the image of educational institutions by holding music classes.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leader Liaqat Baloch in a press statement criticised the PU administration for holding MA Musicology classes. He said the PU administration was damaging the peaceful environment of the varsity by holding music classes. He appealed to the authorities concerned to close the Musicology Department immediately.

----------

good news for pakistans booming music industry which is lacking facilities.

NewYork-wala

October 22nd, 2006, 03:01 AM

Stupid harami Mullahs... The govt should crack every IJT skull...

UnitedPakistan

October 22nd, 2006, 03:20 AM

Stupid harami Mullahs... The govt should crack every IJT skull...
They have been ruining all of our educational facilities and have been using violence to deter the liberals on Uni grounds. Those who go to Punjab University are well aware of what I am talking about.

^ nops its hasnt started yet... and i dontthink the work will start within 6-8 months... we will have to wait
On August 29th they were marking trees while taking down the Lahore Bachao Bachao protest signs. So I guess soon they will be cut and the road expanded. For those further intrested this is a great link to a post one of the campaigners made...
http://www.urbanpk.com/modules/Forums/index.php?showtopic=644

NewYork-wala

October 22nd, 2006, 11:26 AM

A recent Times article also talked about the rise of IJT on Pakistans campuses. Another bit of negative press for Pakistan.

pakboy

October 22nd, 2006, 10:52 PM

Lahore in transit

Lahore's rapid transit train's network envisages four lanes crisscrossing the city with interchanges that cover major commercial and residential corridors and connectivity with bus terminals. Hope the plan will be put into action soon.

By Adnan Adil

Lahore is a city of nearly 6.5 million population and more than 1.4 million vehicles. The fast urbanisation and multiplication of vehicles have led to a traffic mess despite widening of roads and construction of underpasses. To reduce this mess, the Punjab government is planning to run a rapid mass transit train by laying four lines in different direction with $2.4 billion.

An international consultant has prepared the projectís feasibility, and the government is negotiating with the Asian Development Bank to arrange a part of the finances. The plan to lay a rapid mass transit rail network is in addition to Rs 100-billion-plus ring road under construction.

According to Excise department, the number of cars in the city has risen to more than four hundred thousands whereas more than 800,000 motorbikes are plying in the city. Thus, the private transport far outnumbers the public mode of transportation. According to city traffic chief Wasim Sial, more than 80,000 cars are dedicated to transport children to 500 posh schools in the town. (interview with TNS 8 Oct).

Not only Lahore, all major cities in the country are facing increased burden of transport, partly thanks to increased number of leased out cars by banks. Last month, the federal planning agency gave a briefing to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on this issue that says, ìextended transit time of commuting is costing billions of rupees in externalities to the economy, transportation system, especially in mega cities which has already reached a point of capacity saturation.î

The briefing given to the prime minister says international practices and standards require that cities having a population of more than one million should start planning for rail based mass transit system. Eight cities in the country include: Karachi (14 million population), Lahore (6.5 million), Hyderabad-Kotri (2.8 million), Multan (3.1 million), Rawalpindi-Islamabad (4.1 million), Faisalabad (5.4 million), Peshawar (2.3 million) and Quetta and suburbs (1 million).

The prime minister was told that National Mass Transit Authority was established in January 1995 through a Presidential Ordinance with a council as approval authority headed by prime minister but it could not continue beyond 2000 and the implementation of mass transit system was handed over to provincial and local governments.

The federal government was considering revival of national authority under Ministry of Railways to conduct feasibility studies in eight major cities for rail based transit system. However, the Punjab government took the lead and completed the feasibility study for Lahore last month.

Lahore's rapid transit trainís network envisages four lanes crisscrossing the city with interchanges that cover major commercial and residential corridors and connectivity with bus terminals and high density network in the downtown. According to the feasibility report, this train system will connect four corners of the city to the cityís railway station and airport.

The Punjab government officials say that the government is planning to lay two separate lanes in the first phase -- one from Niaz Baig to Harbanspura via Muslim Town and the other from Shahdara to Kot Lakhpat Bridge at Ferozepur Road. On these two routes, a large number of commuters ply from the rural suburbs of Lahore to attend their work places in the city.

According to the proposed feasibility report, the cityís mass transit rail track will be above the ground for 17 kilometres erected on the pillars, and for 10 kilometres it will be underground. The bus stations on the rail line have been envisaged on the pattern of Lahore Fortís Shish Mahal pavilion.

The feasibility report claims that with this train system the traffic congestion on the city roads will ease out and it will take off 3,000 buses and wagons from the busy roads. However, one may argue that instead of removing buses and wagons the government should focus on restricting private cars in the downtown. In London, the authorities have successfully discouraged the number of vehicles in the downtown by imposing heavy entrance fees on private cars.

The mass transit system, if implemented as being claimed, will also reduce the noise and air pollution to a large degree. The feasibility report claims noise level will come down from 80 to 73 decibels, air quality will improve with reduced emission of polluting gases. In addition to this, the study says there will be a reduction of 0.6 tons per year in green house gases.

Lahore rail-based transit system could be a big step in resolving transportation and traffic problems in the city provided the government goes ahead with this plan and does not make it only a publicity tool on the eve of general elections in the coming year. Motor cars' lobby in the country is also well entrenched and has connection with policy-makers and has been a factor behind keeping the rail system backward. Only time will tell whether this lobby again succeeds in prevailing on the government to stay away from rail-base mass transit system in mega cities like Lahore or the government puts it foot down in larger public interest.

http://jang.com.pk/thenews/oct2006-weekly/nos-22-10-2006/she.htm

Techno-Architect

October 24th, 2006, 08:56 PM

Can u tell me how much fare these mass transit will charge on longer route n how the poor ppl in the city will benefit from it?

October 24th, 2006, 09:26 PM

No less then 25-30 Rupees/trip

Techno-Architect

October 25th, 2006, 11:37 PM

Abt the Population Data of Lahore i dont really agree!
Last time i read it smwhr on SSC it said Lhr has 8million official n 2 milion unofficial making the score of almoss a megacity n now again they go back o 6.5million status?? like wut the hell is the real number then!!

Techno-Architect

October 25th, 2006, 11:50 PM

No less then 25-30 Rupees/trip

A ordinary poor person living hand to mouth, spending a maximum 15rupee fer a long distant route would still prefer to go on a local bus even though he has some advantages of time n speed on the mass transit! Ever thought why mass transit has flopped in cities like Bangkok, Tehran, Cairo etc?

October 26th, 2006, 12:26 AM

I agree, to be really honest mass-transit fares have always been an issue all over the world.

Like in Toronto a bus or subway ride costs $2.75, that is hideously expensive and its not like their mass transit is based on Mono rails or Maglevs.

October 26th, 2006, 01:31 AM

they probably should have a monthly discount pass or even a yearly one. Those might get affordable to those who travel daily.

October 26th, 2006, 01:41 AM

Indeed, and they should offer a Tax Return rate on those Monthly/Weekly passes.

In Canada they've started to do so, there has been a slight increase in the sales of the passes as people usually will just file for returns next year for that.

pakboy

October 26th, 2006, 02:49 AM

oogabooga

October 26th, 2006, 03:19 AM

Muhammad_ameen

October 26th, 2006, 07:44 AM

(Y)....RIGHT ooga booga.....but once in a month :D ...I will go on a trip on the mono rail :D IF Karachi gets this....for a PICNIC :D....yeah spending 25-30 rupees on a single route is indeed a picnic for the slums..and for even middle class....Like the green bus.....I often travelled by green bus in Karachi just for changing the TASTE of mouth ....because 20 rupees one side....3 years ago...used to be too much expensive....I remember...many a times I travelled ALONE(the only passenger).... :p ;)

asfar

October 26th, 2006, 08:34 AM

oh yea then wat about the fares tey charge to passengers in delhi? alcuttta? they already have it>(
our freakin authorities need to be serioous thts all

October 26th, 2006, 09:00 AM

Fares can always be negociated, atleast build the damn thing first!

vazim

October 26th, 2006, 12:27 PM

Mass transit should be government subsidized! Although I have to say, a monthly pass for the MTA (NY) is not that bad. But 20-30 rupees for an average Pakistani is way too much. They would rather spend 10 and go in the bus. I know I would!

cars are the main source of traffic jams & mess. & mass transit should be targetting
car owners,
people working in the offices
shoppers & many others

pakboy

October 26th, 2006, 06:26 PM

UnitedPakistan

October 26th, 2006, 10:26 PM

The mass transit is not going to be built for poor people but the middle class who can afford to pay a little bit more for comfort. The jobs these projects create and the supplies it uses from Pakistani companies should be taken into consideration that the poor will benefit from the construction and mantainance of the mass transit system. Though, I would like the government to allow people under the poverty line to use these facilities. Perhaps, NADRA the wizard of ID cards and passports can formulate a plan.

oogabooga

October 27th, 2006, 12:09 AM

UnitedPakistan

October 27th, 2006, 12:35 AM

I seriously think that mass-transit should be government subsidized. If masstransit was being constructing for the middleclass than we are effectively alienating our poor people from society! Need I remind you that we dont have a huge middleclass like India.

Whoelse is of the opinion that masstransit in our cities should be government subsidized?
Are you denying that the middle class is quite large in its own respect?

There is NO mass transit that we can create that will help the poor. As the price of oil continues to rise that only adds to the problem. Unless you want to run some bolans.:doh:

Most of the people who own cars are from the middle class anyway so the goal of mass transit is completed! Lowering traffic on roads and the transportation system.

October 27th, 2006, 12:50 AM

fares are expensive all over the world, my weekly pass in london costs me 20 pounds and thats with a student discount and that is also just restricted to 3 zones, a one day pass will cost you around 10 pounds.

As i said earlier, i think it should target daily commuters and offer better prices for long term cards like yearly subscription.

e.g. here weekly card is 18 euros, monthly card is 67euros ....but yearly card, based on student discount or for under 26, comes out at 42 euros per month to be subscribed for a full year and paid in installments directly via credit cards.

Techno-Architect

October 27th, 2006, 02:21 AM

i think 20/30 rupees is very cheap, people use rickshawas in pakistan which are costing over 100 ruppes, to get from main boulevard to cavlary ground the charge 70 ruppes.

i think a whole days pass should be priced at Rs.100 and Rs.500 for a week and then they should give discounts to students.

I dont agree wid 20-30 rupee being cheap. Daily wage for poor class is around 50-150-200 rupee! If u want to experience how these ppl run their daily routines, try out the small Hiace wagons or buses. U will c them fighting over a single rupee if the conductors take extra money from they. They will always b cursing the govt who ever it is in it, cursing america cursing ever bloody name that they think might b behind the inflation n they will never b happy cauz noffin is being done to their misery. About their travelling, their mossly have to come from suburbs of lahore n the mass transit might not be going to their destination so they might not help them ever. I read this article abt mass transit problems. I will paste it here when i get back to lahore. Mayb that would clear up some pplz mind!

A rickshaw has capacity problem other than being costly fer poor ppl. The poor class always travels in a group or wid family. Buses are cheaper fer most destination.

Half the students travelling in the buses do not pay their fare. Other older ppl take advantage of this n dont pay in the name of being students. Students dont get much discount here. Only on big metro buses not on the small ones. If their college fee in 200 rupee a month, minimum bus expense per month will be 360rupee etc

So the govt should think over other issue. Mass transit might b a good solution fer long distance, but wut abt the short distance n multi-destinations travelling whr mass transit doesnt go??

vazim

October 28th, 2006, 12:38 AM

@ Techno, good points.

But you must also consider that mass transit will not be the replacement of public transport but it will be targetting car owners, who are the main source of traffic mass or mess & these are all kind of people, e.g. people working in the offices relying on their own cars, shoppers, tourists, people relying on taxis & rickshaws etc etc. (Rs. 20-30 is cheap, & i believe that fare will not be less than that.) so for students & laborers its not the right choice for their daily routine, they can still use the public transport. Mass transit can reduce traffic (mainly cars on the road) will help in controlling pollution etc

huit

October 28th, 2006, 01:24 AM

shouldn't we discuss the issue relating to the fares when it actually gets built - which in my opinion is still quite a few years away!

UnitedPakistan

October 28th, 2006, 01:35 AM

Huit,

This is what our politicians say and that is why we criticize them for their lack of vision.

pakboy

October 28th, 2006, 03:08 AM

October 28th, 2006, 12:28 PM

techno you are wrong, vazim is right, the mas transit is to get cars off the road not to take poor people out there houses, the price of the ticket must be kept in correlation to the price car owners spend on fuel.

sorry pakboy..but i think you are wrong.

see car owners will get rid of thier cars only if the mass transit is very extensive eg. here in paris, you can go everywhere on metros.

So only if some one wanted to go exactly where the train station is , can he think of using the mass transit system. Otherwise, he will definitely use his car.

Hope

October 28th, 2006, 01:21 PM

pakboy

October 28th, 2006, 05:43 PM

sorry pakboy..but i think you are wrong.

see car owners will get rid of thier cars only if the mass transit is very extensive eg. here in paris, you can go everywhere on metros.

So only if some one wanted to go exactly where the train station is , can he think of using the mass transit system. Otherwise, he will definitely use his car.

will that is the goverments responsibility to make a proper mas transit programe, making it go everywhere or atleast to all the main areas and then linking it up with a strong bus system.

and even if people continue using cars, gov. will have to encourage them to use the mas transit like in london they have taken away all parking in busy areas and have entry fees for all cars.
even here in london the station is about 20 minutes away from me but i still have to use it when going to uni because there is no car parking availble there.

pakboy

October 28th, 2006, 06:00 PM

Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System Punjab govt to float international tenders on 30th

27-km long LRMTS track will connect the City with railway station and airport

Nasir Butt

LAHORE: The Punjab government will float international tenders for the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) on October 30, The Post learnt Friday.

Sources said the government would prefer international companies which had successfully completed transit and metro train projects. "The deadline for the completion of the Asian Development Bank-funded project is September 2011," they said, adding that the successful bidder would not only construct a 10-kilometre long underground rail track but it would also erect overhead bridges. "LRMS will consist of four lanes and it will crisscross the city with interchanges besides covering major commercial and residential areas and bus terminals," they added.

Punjab Transport Secretary Agha Nadeem told The Post that Rs 200 billion had been worked out to complete the project. He said the plan to lay a rapid mass transit rail network in the city was proposed some 15 years ago but practical initiatives were taken by the present government. He said an international consultant company was contacted to complete the project's feasibility report in April 2005. "The company will submit the report to the Punjab government in July next year," he said, adding that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had been briefed on the project by the Punjab government.

Agha said LRMTS would connect the whole city to the railway station and the airport. Regarding the train system's total length, he said the track would be almost 27 kilometres long and about a 17-km track would be laid above ground level on pillars while the remaining portion would be underground. Agha said after the project's completion the increasing traffic load on city roads would reduce considerably.

He said that LRMS would not affect the existing transport system, nor would it be a hindrance to the flow of buses and wagons.

"The LRMTS' four lanes have been named as Red, Green, Blue and Yellow," the secretary said, adding that in the project's first phase, the government was planning to lay two separate lanes, the red lane from Thokar Niaz Baig to Harbanspura via Muslim Town and the green Lane from Shahdara to Kot Lakhpat Bridge through Ravi Road, Hazrat Data Gunj Buksh shrine, Lower Mall, The Mall, Queens Road and Ferozepur Road near Kalma Chowk from where it would go underground and pass through Model Town I and II, General Hospital and it would conclude at Kahna.

"Construction of blue and yellow lanes will be started after the completion of the first two lanes," he added. He said a train would carry almost 25,000 passengers during peak hours. "The system will also reduce noise and air pollution to a large degree," he added.

He said that the metro train project in Karachi was being run by the Pakistan Railways but in Lahore, the city district government would look after the LRMTS. He said the Planning and Development secretary, who was also the Project Coordination Committee chairman, would finalise details of the project in consultation with the departments concerned.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=65574&catid=3

pakboy

October 31st, 2006, 06:57 AM

LRMTS land survey to be completed before Nov 10
LAHORE: The survey of the land to be acquired for the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) will be completed before November 10.

Secretary Transport Punjab Agha Nadeem has ordered the Revenue Department, City District Government Lahore (CDGL) and transport department officials to complete the survey work within 10 days. Secretary Transport Monday conducted a meeting of representatives of various departments to discuss technical aspects of LRMTS. National Transport System (NTS) Under Secretary Muhammad Sajjad told The Post that international tenders for LRMTS were on October 30 and international consultant companies of transit trains, metro trains and stations were invited to finalise the design and technical formalities of LRMTS. He said that the steering committee on LRMTS had fixed the December 2011 deadline for the project's completion. He said that LRMTS would be an addition to the Ring Road project and would serve almost 250000 commuters. He claimed that LRMTS would also reduce noise and air pollution. At present, more than 1350,000 vehicles including 1,000,000 motorcycles, 150,000 cars, 165,000 motorcycle rickshaws, and 35000 other vehicles such as buses, delivery vans, and public transport vans are plying in the city. LRMTS envisages four lanes crisscrossing the city with interchanges that cover major commercial and residential areas. The proposed rail network would connect four corners of the city to the city railway station and airport. According to a report, CDGL has also planned to acquire 50 acres of land to set up a workshop-cum-depot for LRMTS in Shahdra and Kahna.
http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=66062&catid=3

X-entric

October 31st, 2006, 01:04 PM

ALL IJT activists should be Expelled from Every single university and educational institution of pakistan.They want nothing but trouble! not just Harami, but also Losers!

huit

October 31st, 2006, 08:38 PM

There's a large billboard on Cavalry Ground with Hyatt Regency written on it along with Pace's logo. The address written below is "Near Allama Iqbal Airport, Lahore".

pakboy

November 1st, 2006, 12:09 AM

yes i heard construction has allready begun on it, project includes a big shopping mall, hyatt hotel and apartment and office tower.

i think render was posted here a while back.

vazim

November 2nd, 2006, 11:20 PM

02.11.06

Press Release

LAHORE: Punjab Government has initiated a strong drive to ensure that Punjab is a safe place for all. One initiative, which is being, explored is to introduce revolutionary forms of entertainment which will appeal to all ages. The objective is to provide entertainment for the people of all backgrounds. For this purpose, Punjab Government and Pakistan's finest professionals from the private sector, have come together to establish Punjab Entertainment Company (P.E.C.). P.E.C is dedicated to provide multiple opportunities to the people of Punjab to enjoy the life. P.E.C wishes to introduce Smart Clubs in the poor areas. These clubs will have swimming pools, squash, badminton, volleyball, basketball and long tennis courts.

Other projects in the pipeline are of Go Karting, Theme Parks, Safari Parks and Aquariums. All forms of entertainment will be provided in a safe environment and offered at affordable prices so that everybody would be able to have fun.

P.E.C is also currently working to introduce the IMAX Theater which will educate and entertain the masses.

The IMAX Theater concept was first formulated in Canada that is a leader of giant-screen, large-formal film and motion simulator entertainment. Many of the IMAX Theaters in the world today are supported by government support. The reason behind is that IMAX Theater provides benefits for all and is well accepted by the community.

IMAX is essentially an educational tool which opens a door of new world for the masses. It is a gateway which allows people to broaden their imaginations while young people can learn to sharpen their creativity.

thepost.com.pk

vazim

November 3rd, 2006, 02:17 PM

Traffic police Modernization

LAHORE, Oct 30: Arrangements for modernisation of the traffic control system in five
big cities of Punjab and making the new traffic force operational were reviewed at a
meeting of high ranking police officials held here on Monday with IGP Ziaul Hasan in
the chair, says a handout.
Participants in the meeting were informed that recruitment of 6,000 traffic wardens
had been completed for the new project, and they were being provided with traffic
management training by local and foreign experts in different centres.

The new traffic police would wear a different uniform and armed with latest weapons.
Patrol vehicles, pickups, jeeps, motorcycles, laser guns, speed checking cameras,
forklift cranes, mini-trucks, mobile sets, walkie-talkie sets, digital and movie
cameras and first aid boxes were being acquired for them.

Matters relating to provision of separate offices, police lines, residences, barracks
to the new traffic police and establishment of a new driving school and telecommunication
network were also discussed in the meeting.

The participants were informed that the new traffic police would work in eight-hour
shifts and special mobile education units would be set up for creating awareness about
traffic rules among the people.

The IGP stressed the need for ensuring high standard of training of traffic wardens
and completion of the project according to the schedule. He said wardens should be trained
in accordance with the international standards for dealing with traffic problems effectively.

The meeting was attended by additional IGP Syed Azhar Hassan Nadeem, DIG (headquarters)
Asif Nawaz, DIG (training) Fayyaz Mir, DIG (elite police) Javed Noor, DIG (finance and welfare)
Muhammad Shafiq Mughal, SSP (headquarters traffic) Ghalib Ali Bandesha and Lahore SSP (traffic)
Waseem Ahmad.

Techno-Architect

November 4th, 2006, 01:02 AM

Check out the latest updates on the LDA Tower here:

http://www.urbanpk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=232&st=0&gopid=5842&#entry5842

vazim

November 4th, 2006, 11:53 AM

@ Techno, do you have any updates on new Lahore Stock Exchange building, to be build behind the old pne perhaps ?

UnitedPakistan

November 4th, 2006, 06:39 PM

Is there a name for this project?

or at least a thread here currently about it?

Techno-Architect

November 4th, 2006, 10:04 PM

@ Vazim
No idea abt it yet! Havent even heard abt the new LSE tower anywhr!

pakboy

November 6th, 2006, 12:33 AM

http://www.pakrealestatetimes.com/attachment.php?aid=1078

adil

November 8th, 2006, 08:04 AM

I've heard that realestate prices are dropping drastically in Pakistan, and especially in Lahore. Seems that the bubble has burst. Aren't these housing shcemes a sunk investment now?

UnitedPakistan

November 8th, 2006, 02:25 PM

Thats good news if true since I can go land grabbing now. If what you say is true which it probaly isnt since just two days ago I got high figures from a real estate agent the expats will always keep the market running.

Techno-Architect

November 8th, 2006, 09:57 PM

In my view I agree that the construction boom has finished, since the work on the existing projects have slowed up and the developers are not advertising too much now. This phase of boom will come somewhere in 4-5 yrs times now. Although new projects are coming up in the town, yet their upcoming pace is very slow and people curosity in real estate has faded due to drop of prices in most private hosuing schemes.

UnitedPakistan

November 8th, 2006, 10:30 PM

The construction boom will never end but it will slow down. Actually, it only seems like it has slowed down but really it is a issue of acquiring the land now that most plots have been occupied. Work on projects are slow because of the lack of equipment and educated manpower. This is a issue that our government accepts as a challenge and a enemy of our growth. As for the claims that the intrest has faded in real estate that may be true for domestic but for expats the market has only begun to attract them. I was hoping for prices to come down. And now that there is news of them coming down I plan to acquire as much as I can.

adil

November 9th, 2006, 12:10 PM

People that invested in property seem to be losing. There is a definate drop in demand. My family is trying to sell some property in Lahore and its in a good location too. But in a matter of months the price has dropped significantly. The domestic demand for realestate is definately slowing down. May be due to rising cost of labour and material.

vazim

November 9th, 2006, 02:38 PM

The problem is that almost 3 years back, a double storey 5-marla house costs Rs. 12 lacs approx. Now it is over 40 lacs. It was somehow possible for a salaried person earning somewhere Rs. 15000/- to buy a house at Rs. 12 lacs, but now it has become a dream for him to have a house. Looking at the middle class people's salaries, i can't expect them now to buy 5 marla houses at over 40 lacs and 10 marla at over 80 lacs & i can assure you its not happening. Its ridiculous :bash: :bash: & not helping anyone especially the lower class/ middle class (which is the majority in the country) is suffering most.

The rise in property was not because of demand but mostly because of satta-bazi / land mafia. & if there was demand then the offered prices were too high. This was pehaps a good opportunity for investment & those who invested and sold intime enjoyed the most. The prices of property are coming down drastically and will continue to comedown perhaps for another year, or may be until elections are conducted, after which we may see the rise again.

UnitedPakistan

November 9th, 2006, 05:53 PM

Yes, but people will definetly be buying a whole lot of plots and houses now. Those who couldnt afford it before now can.

pakboy

November 10th, 2006, 12:48 AM

well before alot of people where just investing init, but now there are alot more places for investment and they have also gone into manufactering but still big real estate projects sell out fast like canyon views recently sold out in a few days, lake city in lahore sold out like hot cakes even thought it was last year and the phrase 7 in dha attracted huge amounts of investors so the market is still big for real estate developers who want to make big projects but for small projects it looks like the market has really gone down.

pakboy

November 11th, 2006, 09:15 PM

Post: #1Lahore SunCity project: Malaysian bank to market Sukuk
Malaysia's Affin Investment Bank said on Friday it has been appointed lead adviser and co-placement agent for an Islamic bond issue, to raise funds for a $250 million development project in Pakistan.

Affin Investment Bank, the investment banking arm of Malaysia's Affin Group will soon embark on a road show to secure key Middle East-based investors and financial institutions for the Sukuk, the bank said in a statement.

Lahore SunCity 100 (Mauritius) Ltd is developing the 100-acre SunCity Canal Place project in Lahore, comprising residential and commercial units. The project is expected to be completed within three years.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=495467

pakboy

November 11th, 2006, 09:16 PM

'Sundar Estate is role model for Islamic world'
RECORDER REPORT
LAHORE (November 11 2006): Head of Economic and Commercial Affairs in Iranian embassy in Pakistan, Mohsin Pak Parwar has said that Sundar Industrial Estate is a role model not only for Pakistan but for the Islamic world and it would be instrumental in enlarging the industrial base and bolster the activities at large.

He stated this while addressing a meeting held at the central office of Punjab Industrial Estates (PIE), here on Friday. The meeting was presided over by the chairman PIE Mohsin Syed.

Mohsin hoped that SIE would help increase the employment opportunities and would also help strengthen the industrial base not only in the Punjab but in the whole country as well. He also said that Iran would be happy to benefit from their experience.

In his briefing, the Chairman PIE Mohsin Syed informed that industrial units were under construction and six factories had already started their operations. He lauded the efforts of the Chief Minister Punjab, who is the visionary and Chief Architect of this massive Industrialisation in the province. His personal drive and dynamic leadership has made it possible to implement this mega project. This has paved way for many other upcoming projects in the province based on private-public partnership model.
http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=49...=&supDate=

pakboy

November 11th, 2006, 09:20 PM

check out this picture of the ring road intersection in DHA

http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1163245899.jpg

November 12th, 2006, 02:40 PM

Looks good man, what's the progress on the Ring Road anyways?

UnitedPakistan

November 12th, 2006, 05:11 PM

COUGH COUGH Barely any progress COUGH COUGH

It is being done in such a inept way with segments of the road created and the rest seem to just not exist. I am sorry but I can not describe the ineptness!

mak2007

November 13th, 2006, 06:56 PM

oye!!

pakboy

November 16th, 2006, 04:25 PM

anyone know wat happened with imax case,

vazim

November 16th, 2006, 07:24 PM

16.11.06

LAHORE: A full bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday accepted an application and ordered that the main petition challenging the construction of IMAX Theatre at the Mini Market Ground on MM Alam Road, be restored.

The bench turned down requests by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) not to restore the petition.

The Punjab government and the Punjab Entertainment Company (PEC), the two other respondents, had no objection to the restoration of the main petition.

The Lahore High Court had earlier dismissed the main petition against the theatre on July 6 when the petitioners’ counsel Syed Mansoor Ali Shah did not appear. Shah had then moved an application seeking to restore the petition on behalf of 11 residents of the area and the NGO Shehri Citizens for a Better Environment. Shah contended that a public-interest petition could not be dismissed on technical grounds.

In the main petition, the petitioners submitted that the LDA had transferred about six acres, which its records showed to be a public park, to the PHA. The PHA then transferred the same piece of land to the PEC on the orders of the chief minister. The petitioners’ counsel contended that a public park could not be turned into a commercial site.

He also submitted that the chief minister issued the orders whereby the land was transferred to the PEC, whereas he was not empowered to do so. The petitioners also argued that that the Punjab government had, by launching a commercial venture, contravened certain provisions of the 1973 Constitution, which stated that the public sector could only develop public welfare projects and could not launch a commercial venture.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the project was illegal because a no-objection certificate was not obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency.

dailytimes

UnitedPakistan

November 16th, 2006, 07:42 PM

I took pics looks like work was underway despite the case.

pakboy

November 17th, 2006, 09:33 AM

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/11/17/20061117_a4.jpg

airport road being widened

Dallas1

November 17th, 2006, 10:36 AM

^ airport road is going to be a part of ring road??? any one know?

PakiDoperz

November 18th, 2006, 11:06 AM

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/11/17/20061117_a4.jpg

airport road being widened

they are not widening the airport road , the current road will become part of the ring road and next to ring road on both sides they will be constructing service lane which will be used to reach airpoty.

vazim

November 19th, 2006, 08:56 PM

19.11.06
Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Managing Director Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Nadeem Hassan Asif said that the second phase of the construction of drains at Mall road, GPO, AG office, Nabha Road and adjacent roads worth Rs 30 million would be started in the last week of the ongoing month, whereas the construction of the disposal station on Lake road near PIA Planetarium worth Rs 10 million would be completed during the upcoming week.

He was presiding over a high level meeting here Saturday. He said that the construction was being carried out according to the directives issued by District Nazim Mian Aamer Mahmood, while the construction on a new drain from GPO to Nabha road worth Rs 10 million was completed. He informed the meeting that the tenders had been issued for the second phase of the drain and the work would be started during this month.

These drains will ease the disposal of the rain water and end the worries of the residents during the monsoon season while the traffic would move smoothly on these roads, he added.

He said that WASA had focused on working out a comprehensive strategy to use the resources in a better way. He said that it was the duty of the WASA's engineers to monitor the work assigned to the contractors.

thepost

huit

December 4th, 2006, 01:47 PM

Source: Daily Times (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\04\story_4-12-2006_pg13_6)

Progress on LDA’s edifice halted

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA)’s plan to build a 40-storey building seems a lost pursuit since no development was reported even after two years of its approval by the LDA Governing Body. LDA officials said that the project might be delayed for another 2 years and that around Rs 2.5 billion would be spent on the project. They said that the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA)’s occupation of the site for the building was not responsible for the delay, rather it was the building’s plans which were being reviewed and needed fine tuning, since it was such a massive project They said that WASA had vacated half of the site and that most of the staff had been shifted to the new premises on Zahoor Elahi Road. A senior LDA official said that lack of proper planning was the main reason behind the delay and that there was no chance of work on the complex in the near future. He said that the project had been reviewed several times by LDA officials because of complications, but to no avail. However, other LDA officials attributed the delay to the size of the project and said that that big a project might take some time. LDA spokesman Khursheed Ahmed Khan said, “A lot of work still needs to be done.” LDA Chief Engineer Asif Hameed Khan confirmed the delay and said that it was because of ‘important reasons’.

vazim

December 19th, 2006, 08:49 AM

CM to inaugurate Liberty Market upgrading project today (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\19\story_19-12-2006_pg13_3)

LAHORE: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi will inaugurate a project to upgrade Liberty Market today (Tuesday). The project called ‘Liberty up-gradation’ will cost Rs 200 million and will be completed in four months. The Gulberg Town Administration has sought financial support for the project from the Punjab government through the city government. The project is meant to stop the haphazard growth of commercial activity in and around the market. Instead of carpeting roads in the market, the town administration has decided to tile them and designate them vehicle-free. Officials said a large parking lot would also be constructed close to the market. They said the upgrading would help pedestrians walk around and help develop a new commercial area. They said authorities also planned to replace the entire sewerage line running under the market to avoid flooding during rains. Officials said close-circuit TV cameras would also be installed throughout the market for security reasons. They said that 15 years ago Gulberg was considered one of the best residential localities in the city. Commercial activity in the locality was confined to Liberty Market and Main Market, while Main Boulevard, MM Alam Road and adjoining localities were relatively free of such activity. However, commercial activities had now spread all over Gulberg and multinational companies, banks, international food chains, shopping malls and cafes were seen everywhere. Gulberg Town nazim Faraz Chaudhry told Daily Times that the town administration and traders were thankful to the chief minister for his attention and financial support. He said the project would help customers and traders by creating new business opportunities and reducing traffic woes. staff report

pakboy

December 19th, 2006, 06:10 PM

^^^
best news for lahore since SZC

UnitedPakistan

December 19th, 2006, 10:27 PM

http://www.urbanpk.com/static%20gallery/UPK_GALLERY/Punjab/Lahore/Paktrip/gallery_1_9_157557.jpg

pakboy

December 20th, 2006, 05:09 AM

‘Lahore Pakistan’s crown jewel’

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz called Lahore “the crown jewel of Pakistan” on Tuesday, while addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Pace Circle near Allama Iqbal International Airport. Lahore had a rich cultural heritage and only a few cities matched its architectural beauty and the hospitality of its people, he said. “With such attractions, Lahore can attract much more tourism than it is doing now,” he said “if it is presented appropriately.” Calling Lahore the “best-kept secret” of the country, he said the city was not known to the world because there weren’t enough places for tourists to stay. “In order to present Lahore to the world we will have to have a matching hospitality infrastructure,” the prime minister said. A convention centre being built in the city could hold international events, he said, but there was a lack of accommodation infrastructure. He said the government would help build the appropriate infrastructure to meet tourism demands. staff report

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\20\story_20-12-2006_pg13_2

huit

December 20th, 2006, 03:44 PM

Development projects being completed speedily: Elahi (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\20\story_20-12-2006_pg13_4)

...The Rs 160 million Liberty Market repair and construction project would be complete in six months, he said, and a parking plaza would be built in the market. MM Alam Road would be widened by up to 30 feet, he added. He said President Pervez Musharraf’s reforms agenda had made all the development projects possible.

Elahi also announced a 91-kanal 55-storey trade centre called the Sheikh Zaid Complex, which he said would have a five-star hotel, luxury apartments and a parking basement with a 4,000-vehicle capacity. He said a Sports City was being set up in Lahore and work on Lahore Ring Road was being completed quickly.

The Rescue 1122 project had been successful in Lahore, Elahi said, and would be extended to 11 other cities of Punjab...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHA told to remove billboards from traffic intersections (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\20\story_20-12-2006_pg13_5)

...He said that in the first phase MM Alam Road would be expanded in the next three months and wiring for electricity and traffic signals would be put underground. He said a greenbelt would also be constructed between the roads for smooth traffic.

pakboy

December 20th, 2006, 10:47 PM

if mm alam road is widened upto 30 ft and new sidewalks made then i guess they will have to destroy all the private car parks of resturants, shops etc.

pakboy

December 20th, 2006, 10:48 PM

Lahore: Remodelling of Shimla Hill Chowk starts
ASIF CHAUDHRY
LAHORE - The Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) has started a project ‘Remodelling of Durand Road Junction’ near the Shimla Hill to resolve chronic traffic problem in the area, The Nation has learnt.
The Punjab government has released a grant of Rs 4 million for the project to be completed by the mid of January 2007. Traffic mess has been a leading problem of the area especially at the junction which remains snarled for hours due to extraordinary rush of traffic.
Another fault of the junction is the non-availability of right turn. After remodelling, the commuters would be provided the facility and they would have quick access to Durand Road from Davis Road by using right turn.
Outdated traffic signals will be replaced by modern traffic signals with loop detection system. The project also include resurfacing of the roads (Davis, Durand) with asphalt, mending greenbelts, improvement of streetlights and removing of electric poles from the main Chowk, desilting of drain around Shimla Hill, installation of traffic signage and lane marking.
Talking to this scribe, TEPA Engineer Ansar Butt said that unusual wideness of the greenbelts falling at main Durand and Davis Road junction were one of the major reasons hindering smooth traffic flow.
He said the main target of the TEPA’s plan was to divert traffic from Davis Road to Egerton Road and the Durand Road. The Davis and Durand Roads would also be widened by removing encroachments, he added.
He said the new and modern traffic signals at the Chowk would help streamline vehicular flow and added that the agency would also install light towers to improve light in the area. The electric poles installed by WAPDA at the centre of the Chowk would be shifted to other suitable places, he added.
The project had been launched keeping in view the importance of the Shimla Hill and its surroundings, which were hub of business activities including famous restaurants, buildings of local and multinational banks at the Davis Road, Egerton Road and its vicinities, he maintained.
Ansar Butt said that as the Lahore Press Club was the centre of political activities and situation became complicated when processions were taken out. However, traffic jam and such other problems would be resolved after completion of the project, he added.
It may be mentioned that the Shimla Hill Chowk (Durand Road Junction) was an important round about as the roads from the area lead to all the major areas of the city.
From the Junction, a road leads to the Mall, Regal, Mozang and its surroundings through Egerton Road, the other to the Fortress Stadium RA Bazaar through Davis Road, another to Garhi Shahu and its surrounding areas. A road to Railway Station while another leads to the Mayo Hospital, Shah Alam market and adjacent areas.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/dec-2006/20/localnews1.php

pakboy

December 21st, 2006, 12:58 AM

Liberty Chowk redesigning‘No

LAHORE, Dec 19: A project involving redesigning of Liberty Chowk was launched on Tuesday evening, says a handout.
Speaking at a ceremony on the occasion, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said the project would be completed within six months at a cost of Rs160 million.

He announced construction of a new car-parking plaza in Liberty. He said MM Alam Road would be widened up to 30 feet. A project was also being launched to develop Anarkali Bazar, he said.

He said the project of giving ownership rights to the dwellers of Katchi Abadis would be completed speedily.

lahore, dec 19: a project involving redesigning of liberty chowk was launched on tuesday evening, says a handout. speaking at a ceremony on the occasion, chief minister pervaiz elahi said the project would be completed within six months at a cost of rs160 million. he announced construction of a new car-parking plaza in liberty. he said mm alam road would be widened up to 30 feet. a project was also being launched to develop anarkali bazar, he said. he said the project of giving ownership rights to the dwellers of katchi abadis would be com- pleted speedily.

PakiDoperz

December 21st, 2006, 07:26 AM

^^^ news already there submitted by HUIT

pakboy

December 22nd, 2006, 06:29 PM

Right policies brought economic boom in Punjab: governor

* Says 50 percent increase in milk yield could add Rs 250b to rural economy

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has said that policies favouring investment and industry have brought an economic boom in the Punjab.

“Infrastructure development, public-private partnership and rapid industrialisation are the major pillars of the Punjab government’s policies,” he said while speaking on the third day of the ongoing Annual General Meeting of Pakistan Society of Development Economists (PSDE) on Thursday.

He said the development of infrastructure including the Lahore-Faisalabad dual carriageway, the Lahore-Sialkot road, the Lahore-Kasur dual highway and the Lahore Ring Road would accelerate economic development in the Punjab. He said that the introduction of public-private partnership had helped the development of Sundar Industrial Estate, Faisalabad Industrial Estate and Multan Industrial Estate.

A number of foreign companies including the Abu Dhabi group were building hotels, shopping malls and a sports city in Lahore, the governor said. He said these projects would not only create more job opportunities but also spur economic activity.

The Punjab government was encouraging value addition in the agricultural sector, he said, through Punjab Agriculture Marketing Company (PAMCO).

Punjab contributed about 58 percent of the national GDP, he said, 63 percent of the national services sector and 50 percent of the total milch animal population in Pakistan. A 50 percent increase in the milk yield with provision of better feed and veterinary health facilities could add another Rs 250 billion to the rural economy, he said.

Former federal privatisation and investment minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh gave a lecture titled “Towards Re-orienting the Role of the Government in Pakistan”.

Planning and Development Commission spokesman Asif Sheikh said the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) had approved the construction of Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi Shaheed bridge over river Chenab at Shahbazpur in Gujrat at a cost of Rs 1,131.94 million. It approved the dualisation of the Lahore-Kasur Road (Kahna to Kasur), he said, and an increase in its length from 26.65 kilometres to 55 kilometres at a cost of Rs 2,102.89 million. The CDWP also approved the dualisation of Kasur-Ganda Singh Road (A section from 55th kilometre to 68th kilometre) at a cost of Rs 545.27 million, the construction of an additional bridge near Salgran on Rawalpindi-Muree-Kashmir Road, and the construction of a dual carriageway from Gujrat to Salam interchange (on motorway) through Mandi Bahauddin (96.4 kilometres, beginning from 27.9th kilometre), he said.

Rehabilitation, upgrade and conversion projects of Rs 3,434 million were approved by the CDWP, he said, of which foreign aid component was Rs 2,410.58 million.

Sheikh said that in the water sector, the CDWP approved the extension of Pat Feeder Canal for utilisation of Indus water in Balochistan as per the 1991 water accord at a cost of Rs 4,467.50 million and irrigation schemes in Chitral districts. It approved the upgrade of Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad for Rs 485.46 million, he said. In the health sector, Sheikh said, the CDWP approved Rs 2.2 billion for the construction of a 14-storey Medical Tower near Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS) and Rs 3.4 billion for the construction of 13-storey Medical Tower at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Complex in Karachi.

The CDWP also approved upgrading a 100-bed hospital in Chilas to 200 beds for Rs 199.85 million, he said, and the provision of 64 Slice Helical Scan Angiography machines at Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases at a cost of Rs 120 million. app

Home | Lahore

pakboy

December 24th, 2006, 05:36 AM

alirox

January 2nd, 2007, 05:35 PM

Prestige, of course, is always a factor for extremely tall buildings--and not just because you can charge more for high-profile buildings. Robertson's firm is working on a 50-floor building in Lahore, Pakistan, where the tallest building might be ten or 12 stories high

anyidea what this building would be,and i have to say tht forbes is very ignoraant by publishing articles which say our tellest bulding is 10 floors high,and then we think why people have such a bad impression of pakistan

http://www.forbes.com/realestate/2006/01/12/tallest-towers-realestate-cx_sc_0113home_ls.html

Techno-Architect

January 4th, 2007, 11:34 PM

^^^^possibility of this unknown 50 storeys on the Jail Road near the LANDMARK Tower opp to EFU HOUSE. Ive heard of such a 50 storey coming up there.

malpensa

January 5th, 2007, 04:52 AM

This is same zayed tower. i googled it before but cant find it

mak2006

January 22nd, 2007, 11:25 AM

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m248/teritau/Image449.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m248/teritau/Image445.jpg

UnitedPakistan

January 22nd, 2007, 02:20 PM

Is that it?!!!!!

You gotta be freking kidding me...

huit

January 22nd, 2007, 10:30 PM

wtf? somebody please blow that building up!

Pakia

January 22nd, 2007, 11:27 PM

Does Pakistan in general & Lahore in particular, has any laws or regulations concerning this kind of obscenely large billboards. Do they have no concern for traffic safety as its not only an eyesore but BIG distraction to drivers.

I say someone sue Coke and the bastard greedy owners who put them up.

UnitedPakistan

January 23rd, 2007, 01:31 AM

vazim

January 24th, 2007, 04:22 PM

Staff Report

LAHORE: Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday said that the agreements signed between Punjab and Ontario will boost cooperation in the realms of trade, industry, agriculture and the information technology (IT).

He was speaking at the signing of a declaration between Punjab and Ontario.

Law Basharat Raja, IT Minister Abdul Aleem Khan, Communication and Works Minister Chaudhry Zaheerud Din, Food Minister Hussain Jahanian Gardezi, Health Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, Investment and Trade Minister Dr Sohail Zafar Cheema, Environment Minister Anjum Amjad, Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, Planning and Development chairman Suleman Ghani and Ontario ministers, Harinder Takhar and Sandra Pupatello, attended the ceremony.

The CM and Ontario Prime Minister Dalton Mguinty signed the declaration. An agreement for the promotion of IT was also signed between Pakistani and Canadian companies.

The CM said the declaration was aimed at strengthening economic ties between Ontario and Punjab and protecting human rights and promoting democratic values. He said that the projects to be launched with the collaboration between the two provinces would bring closer the people of both regions. Premier Dalton Mguinty said the agreements signed between Punjab and Ontario would open new avenues of progress for the people of both provinces. He said hundreds and thousands of Pakistani expatriates were participating in social development activities in Ontario.

He said the Punjab government had taken several revolutionary measures for the economic and social development of the province. An agreement for cooperation in the medical sector was signed between the Pharmeng International of Ontario and the Maple Pharma Pakistan, Efroz Group.

JADI

January 24th, 2007, 05:00 PM

Royal Trail restoration project to start on March 23
Written by pub
Wednesday, 24 January 2007
LAHORE, Jan 24 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that Shahi Guzargah ( Royal Trail) restoration project worth Rs 600 million would be launched on March 23 this year.He stated this while speaking at a briefing about restoration project of Lahore’s Walled City at Shahi Hamam, Delhi Gate here on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister said, “Complete restoration of all the historic places of Walled City will cost more than Rs 6 billion. However, a pilot project worth Rs 600 million for restoration of Royal Trail, the path that the Mughal Emperors followed through the Walled City to reach Shahi Qila (Lahore Fort), will be launched on March 23 this year.”
He said, the rehabilitation of one and a half kilometres long Royal Trail project had been awarded to a well reputed Italian firm that had restored historic sites of Morocco. “We also shared this project with World Bank, which appreciated it and assured of providing grants for the same,” he disclosed.
He said, the project included revamping plan of water supply and sewerage by WASA and laying of underground electricity lines by LESCO in the action areas of the project.
The two-year project would not only ensure provision of recreational facilities to the residents of Walled City but also resolve their problems regarding electricity, water, gas, telephone and other needs of life, he maintained.
The Chief Minister assured that all the affected people of the restoration plan would properly be compensated by the provincial government.
Punjab Government had been maintaining historical places like Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens and Badshahi Mosque, since President General Pervez Musharraf had given their management control from federal to Provincial Archaeological Department in year 2004, he added.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi further said that grants of Rs 300 million each was being spent on preservation of Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens.
The Walled City projects would promote tourism in the city that would ultimately increase economic activity and create more employment opportunities for the people.

http://www.app.com.pk/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2670&Itemid=2

TahaQ

January 27th, 2007, 08:39 PM

Lahore’s traffic problems will soon be history?

* Minister unveils Integrated Traffic Management System

LAHORE: The government plans to introduce an Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) to solve Lahore’s traffic problems, Col (r) Shuja Khanzada, minister for the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT), said on Friday.

According to a press release, the minister said that the project entailed getting transporters to use alternate traffic routes to save time and avoid traffic congestion on some of the city’s busiest roads. The project aims to promote road safely and reduce pollution, the press release quoted the minister as telling delegates that called on him at his office on Friday.

The minister said that the chief minister had approved the ITMS, and that Salman Ghani, chairman of the Planning and Development Board, would be heading this project. However, before working on its implementation, the government would set up traffic management and control centres in the city, which would monitor traffic on various roads through CCTV cameras and forward their recommendations to the government.

Khanzada said that the implementation of the system would improve the condition of traffic in the city considerably. Traffic signals would be controlled through state-of-the-art timing technology and lanes would be designated for fast and slow-moving traffic, he said. He said further that under the project, illegal or unapproved parking stands and encroachments would be removed so that the flow of traffic would remain uninterrupted.

The minister said that seminars and workshops would be held as part of an awareness campaign to educate citizens about traffic rules, adding that special lectures and presentations would be given at educational institutions to inculcate awareness about traffic discipline in students. The minister said that the collection, analysis and integration of data on traffic administration to facilitate scientific decision-making in traffic control was among the chief aims of the project. He said that system would go a long way in improving government departments’ ability to respond to accidents and other emergencies. The minister said that the project, if successful, would later be expanded to other cities in the province as well. staff report

vazim

January 27th, 2007, 08:57 PM

S.Korean, Pakistani real estate giants to invest $ 500m

Saturday, 27 January 2007
LAHORE, Jan 27 (APP): The real estate giant of South Korea ‘Chosun Construction’ and Pakistan’s Shafsal Limited will develop residential complexes, shopping malls, country clubs and fitness centres in Lahore and Islamabad.

Addressing a joint press conference at Lahore Press Club on Saturday, Myung Kim president of the S.Korean firm and Muhammad Saleem Bhatti chief executive of Shafsal Limited said that they will carry out international standard projects worth about 500 million dollars.
The projects will incorporate earthquake proof design and construction, they added.
They said initially they are starting work on six projects in Islamabad for which land has been acquired.
Myung Kim observed that his firm has been working in different countries of the world and has vast experience in constructing high rise buildings.
The projects will also include apartments and flats for the middle class segment, with a flat measuring 1250 sq.ft to be provided for Rs 750,000.
They were of the view that the joint initiative would augur well for the real estate sector in Pakistan which has come under pressure in recent months following an unprecedented boost.

huit

January 29th, 2007, 10:45 AM

Korean firm to venture high-rise commercial/residential in Lahore and Islamabad

LAHORE: Korean real estate developer Chosun Construction has signed a joint venture deal with a local construction company build high-rise residential and commercial projects worth $500 million in Islamabad and Lahore. This was disclosed at a joint press conference addressed by Myung Kim of Korea and his Pakistani partner Saleem Bhatti. They said both companies would inject $250 million each in the joint venture. The Capital Development Authority has permitted the joint venture company to build a 42 story building in the city. Kim said Pakistan is an attractive destination for foreign constructors. He said foreign competition in local construction projects would bring healthy competition and improve construction standards. Bhatti said that low cost housing in Pakistan is the need of the day. He said a residential flat would be offered to the buyers at Rs7,50,000. He said construction activities would also be taken up at Lahore at a later stage.

huit

January 29th, 2007, 10:47 AM

More industrial estates planned for Punjab: CM

LAHORE (January 29 2007): Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that more industrial estates would be established in the province to further gearing up job opportunities, adding that under Vision 2020 of the present government one million jobs would be created every year.

Talking to journalists during his visit to Sunder Industrial Estate here on Sunday, he said immense employment opportunities would be created through this project. He said 60,000 direct and 6,00,000 indirect employment would be provided through the project.

The chief minister said Sunder Industrial Estate Project was commenced three years ago under the public -private partnership with initial cost of Rs one billion. Entire plots were sold out in Sunder Estate and to produce own electricity in the estate a system had been created.

He said that results on account of vision of President Pervez Musharraf regarding the development had started pouring in. He said the process to construct 105 factories had commenced while 55 industrial units had already been established in the Industrial Estate. Besides, he said, a water management plant was being installed in the Estate. He said labour colony was also being established in the industrial estate to accommodate labour force.

He said the work on 4500-acre M-3 Industrial Estate in Faisalabad was going on where 500-acre land had been given to Chinese investors, who were making $200 million investment there, he added.

On the law & order situation during sacred month of Muharram, the CM apprised that a Central Control Center had been established at the office of Home Secretary.

He averred that crisis management cells had also been established at district level to deal with any untoward eventuality.

The chief minister inspected under construction factories in the Industrial Estate on the occasion. Later on, he held an emergence meeting regarding security in the province where he issued orders to beef up security arrangements at religious sites.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=523151

siamu maharaj

January 29th, 2007, 03:21 PM

Good news, especially low cost apartments that probably won't look like shit. 42-story apartments for the common man!

And industrial estates are also good news. Now please spend a few billions there.

huit

January 31st, 2007, 09:00 PM

Construction on that Software Technology Park on Ferozpur Road is going in full flow.

UnitedPakistan

January 31st, 2007, 11:31 PM

Where is it on Ferozpur road?

Be specific please...

PakiDoperz

February 1st, 2007, 08:58 AM

^^^ its on the opposite side of the road in front of SOS pakistan, and right next to Kot lakhpat Sabzi Mandi with ganda nala running on its one side

Lime Light

February 1st, 2007, 02:00 PM

Greetings,

But i heard they are planing to change its location now. Has any development started yet?

UnitedPakistan

February 1st, 2007, 02:29 PM

^^^ its on the opposite side of the road in front of SOS pakistan, and right next to Kot lakhpat Sabzi Mandi with ganda nala running on its one side
Thanks!

I will check it out when I go back to Lahore.:lol:

vazim

February 1st, 2007, 10:28 PM

^^ :lol:

huit

February 2nd, 2007, 10:37 PM

^^^ its on the opposite side of the road in front of SOS pakistan, and right next to Kot lakhpat Sabzi Mandi with ganda nala running on its one side

It's (almost) in front of Ittefaq Hospital and near ICI Pakistan (factory?).

huit

February 2nd, 2007, 10:45 PM

Source (http://www.thepost.com.pk/ShortNews.aspx?shortid=3178&catid=3)

TEPA project to streamline traffic on Ferozepur Road

Arshad Dogar

LAHORE: Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) plans to initiate a pilot project at Ferozepur Road to streamline traffic flow and meet the burgeoning traffic challenges at the busiest road of the provincial capital.

According to a TEPA official, speaking to The Post on condition of anonymity, the chief minister will preside over the ground breaking ceremony of the project next week and tenders will be floated on 07 February.

The Punjab government envisions that the project will act as a model not merely for other congested roads in Lahore, but also for roads in the other four big cities in the province, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Rawalpindi. The TEPA official said that the main stakeholders, TEPA, traffic police and the transport department, have been brought on one forum to resolve all problems related to traffic flow.

The official disclosed that the project will cover a distance of 11.88 km starting from Qurtaba Chowk to Khaira distributary (near General Hospital), and will be completed by the end of the current year at a cost of Rs 600 million.

He related that during the first phase of the project, after a detailed survey to be conducted by consultants, work will focus on the stretch of road from the Canal Road to Railway Lines. The TEPA official said that the unified approach is being used to execute the project at one forum; TEPA will deal with engineering and development, traffic police will deal with the operational side of the project, and the Transport department will address the issue of changing the behaviour of drivers.

Elaborating on what the project aims to achieve, the official said that TEPA will improve the civil work at the road, including expansion of service roads and improvement of the drainage system with the cooperation of Wasa.

"Under the Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system about 17 signals will be interconnected and linked with the central control room for smooth and integrated traffic flow," he said, adding that, existing signals are not connected with each other, which is one of the main causes of the traffic congestion. The signals that will be connected with the central control room are: Qurtaba Chowk, Sanam Chowk, LOS, Shama, Shalimar, Muslim Town Mor, Canal Crossing, Gadaffi Stadium Chowk, Kalima Chowk, Model Town Mor, Bhabra, Gulab Devi, Ittefaq Hospital, Qenchi and Ghazi Road.

The strategy for streamlining traffic flow revolves around two designated lanes for buses and vans (at the extreme left of the road); moreover, slow-moving traffic will gradually be phased out from the road, the official explained. He added that a new traffic police unit, dedicated specifically for the project, will be deployed to enforce the revised pattern of lanes.

Commenting on the project, Chief Engineer TEPA Khushal Khan said that this project has been selected as a pilot not only for the city but also for other big cities of the province. He said that the project is being implemented after a detailed survey conducted by the consultants and engineers of TEPA, and will resolve the traffic problems on busy city roads. He further said that, through this project, the administration of other cities will be guided as TEPA is documenting every aspect of the project for this purpose.

huit

February 5th, 2007, 11:22 AM

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/feb-2007/5/index14.php

Canal Bank Road to be widened

IQTIDAR GILANI
LAHORE - Government is all set to widen the Canal Bank Road, from Canal View Bridge at Thokar Niaz Baig to Dharampura underpass, with the aim of solving traffic problems at the main city artery.
National Engineering Services of Pakistan has recommended remodelling of Canal Bank Road, considering it the only viable option for ending the growing traffic problems in the heart of the city.
The project is expected to be initiated in near future and it will be completed in 12 months after the start of construction work at an estimated cost of Rs 800 million.
NESPAK, in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, has, however, recommended certain measures to reduce environmental pollution during construction phase and after the completion of the project.
Major hazards involved in the project are cutting of 1850 trees, loss of ecological habitat, deterioration of air quality, increase in noise level, impact on pedestrian bridges, handling and disposal of construction waste, contamination of surface and ground water and disruption of traffic for about one year.
NESPAK has recommended strict adherence to the Environmental Management Plan and constitution of Environmental Committee to oversee the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures.
NESPAK in the EIA report has suggested that rapid growth in population and increase in the number of vehicles has gradually resulted in worsening of the traffic situation. Over the past two decades, vehicle registration has increased from 52 to over 116 per 1000 inhabitants. The number of private cars has increased from 13 to 35 per 1000 inhabitants. The traffic volume on the Canal Bank Road has doubled in last four years to over 220,000 vehicles per day, nearly twice the existing road capacity.
Improvement of Canal Bank Road will provide an easy access to southern Lahore and Motorway, besides, ensuring fast movement of traffic between various parts of the city.
The proposed length of the Canal Bank Road to be upgraded is 14-kilometres-from Dharampura underpass to Thokar Niaz Baig. The improvement plan involves construction of an additional road (18 feet wide) plus earthen shoulder (6 feet wide) on both sides of the canal, resurfacing; development and improvement of service roads, standardising access to/from service road, constructing bus bays and shelters, improving traffic control and service devices, development of green area and plantation of trees along the Right of Way (RoW). The total RoW of the Project Road will vary from 350 feet to 375 feet.
EIA report prepared by National Engineering Services of Pakistan reveals that widening of Canal Bank Road is the only viable option for resolving traffic problems at the main artery and providing easy access to Motorway and southern Lahore.
NESPAK also evaluated second option of six-lane road from Kalima Chowk to Jinnah Hospital and then through Johar Town Boulevard up to Raiwind Road for partial diversion of traffic through an alternate route. This project entails a number of issues including resettlement of houses, shops and hospitals located along this route. Another important aspect of this project is that land of Punjab University would needed to be acquired which makes the project unfeasible.
Third alternative was improvement of Wahdat Road and Multan Road. This route was also taken into consideration while evaluating different alternatives for the proposed project. This route is already saturated with traffic and there is not enough room for improvement to bear increasing traffic load.
In addition, for developing Multan Road, considerable land acquisition will be involved which is a sensitive social issue.
NESPAK believes that widening of Canal Bank Road is the only viable option for easing the vehicular movement at this and adjoining road. The major issue in this project is cutting of trees, which could be resolved by taking appropriate mitigation measures.

huit

February 6th, 2007, 12:40 AM

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\05\story_5-2-2007_pg7_44

‘Muslim Town underpass to be constructed soon’

LAHORE: Communication and Works (C&W) Minister Chaudhry Zaheerud Din Khan has said that an underpass will be constructed at Muslim Town Mor to ease the traffic problem on Ferozepur Road.

He was presiding over a meeting at his residence on Sunday. C&W Department secretary Ahmadyar Khan, additional secretary Masoodur Rasool, Highways deputy secretary Yunis Aziz and Highways chief engineer (North) Muhammad Iqbal Khokhar attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed that the Planning and Development Department had approved the underpass plans. The minister was informed that tenders for the construction would be invited soon.

The meeting also reviewed the progress on the ongoing development schemes in Lahore. The minister was informed that 10 out of 18 under-construction schemes in the city would be completed in the current fiscal year. He warned of stern action against the officials concerned, if the schemes were not completed in time. The minister said that more underpasses and flyovers would be constructed in the city to cater to increasing traffic. app

JADI

February 12th, 2007, 01:19 PM

Bandar Raya upbeat on high-end Pakistan project
By Sharen Kaur
sharen@nstp.com.my

February 12 2007

BANDAR Raya Developments Bhd (BRDB), a property developer, expects its flagship township project in south-east Lahore, Pakistan, to generate some RM2.5 billion in gross development value over six years.

The Defence Raya Golf Resort will be developed by BRDB and partner, Defence Housing Authority (DHA) of Lahore, Pakistan's largest property developer.

Chief executive officer Datuk Jaganath Sabapathy said the opportunity came through its major shareholder and chairman, Datuk Mohamed Moiz, who has strong ties in Pakistan.

Jaganath told Business Times recently that BRDB's partnership with the DHA has ensured that it is entering the market with a strong, highly visible local partner who commands respect from the local markets.

"The synergies from the DHA-BRDB partnership ensures that it is an equal partnership, and one that will benefit both parties. BRDB will be entitled to a 30 per cent profit, as the land for development belongs to DHA. BRDB will act as the consultant of the project," he said.

The project comprises an area of over 132 hectares and built around the lush greens of an 18-hole golf course. It is the first of its kind in Lahore - a planned, gated and guarded development.

The township will have 400 units of luxury homes priced at US$250,000 (RM875,000) to more than US$1 million (RM3.5 million) each, 1,200 high-end condominiums, a retail centre and commercial premises.

Jaganath said 174 units of the luxury homes or the first phase was launched in November last year and close to 80 per cent have been sold.

He said the project will be carried out in three phases over six years and the second phase, comprising 200-odd units of condominiums, will be launched in April and subsequent packages under the same phase will be launched by year-end.

"The sub-phases of phase three will be launched over the next three years. This project will provide BRDB with a platform to work on other jobs in Pakistan, as well as to build townships and mixed development projects in other countries," he said.

Jaganath said BRDB has already attracted interest from potential joint-venture partners looking to explore opportunities in Karachi, Islamabad and Faisalabad.

He said the relevant parties are looking at jointly developing a variety of projects such as residential, commercial and township development.

"BRDB's success in Pakistan has given us the confidence to explore other new markets. We plan to selectively venture abroad to take advantage of emerging economies, with focus on opportunities in the real estate sector," he said.

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Monday/Frontpage/BT608251.txt/Article/

punjab

February 14th, 2007, 03:02 PM

liberty renovation/upgrading is going in full flow and should be turned to a international standards market/high street, middle would be turned into a square and a big multiplex/cineplex is planned

Huma

February 18th, 2007, 03:36 PM

Multan Road, Allama Iqbal Town Road, Samanabad Roads are badly in need of big projects.I visited Lahore last month, I stayed at Samanabad.You cant imagine how horrible is the driving there in the whole area 24 hours aday.If a city nazim can Approve 24 Km flyover with other 8 big and long flyovers and innumerable underpasses in Karachi, Cant the chief MInister of the Punjab, a CM, can approve a 7km flyover from choburji to Thokar to ease the worst kind of traffic at Multan road? Musharaf is supporting huge projects in Karachi announced and conceived by even councilers. Cant chohdries convince him to do something in Punjab? Or they are to Slogan" Uniformed President" once in a week?

February 18th, 2007, 04:02 PM

^^
i can understand you are quite sad about the pace of development and the "on paper" approvals that donot find thier way into the real world.

Well...most of us here are. Projects in pakistan takes ages to get developed if they do at all. Lots of bureaucracy and corruption involved. Except if someone from the top level in personally interested.

But on the other hand, you mentioned somewhere that you have been visiting lahore for the last 10 years. Well most of these projects arent really that old. My guess is its a bit too early to imagine these projects being over. It takes time and sometimes lots of time.

My guess is 1/3rd would eventually find thier way to the trash..1/3rd will be build perhaps not per schedule but at the level it was supposed to be. And the rest 1/3 would be eventually built but not exactly as it is proposed now.

I do expect some of the projects to pick up pace near election times or even bigger projects being announced.Sadly enough, if some bigger projects are announced close to election time, they would be the ones to suffer the most.

I, personally have been to lahore very few times, so thats my guess based on our culture. Maybe lahoriite forumers would better answer this.

siamu maharaj

February 18th, 2007, 07:03 PM

moazzam

February 18th, 2007, 08:15 PM

I agree with huma... treffic conditions are getting worst there...treffic jams are really horrible. Only new lahore where only rich people lives has proper planning and wider roads, almost all the lahori reoads are very narrow and congested, they need immidiate upgradation.
They are bussy in building plazas, shopping malls every where, but least bother about roads infrastructure.
i dont know what the hell is lahore's nazim doing.
I hope this 7 km flyover will approved soon.. InshAllah...
well it takes CDGK aprox more then a month to get the project approved and 1 year and 2 months to materialize the 28 km expressay project... so u must wait...

PakiDoperz

February 19th, 2007, 05:25 AM

i agree with huma, there are lots of projects are going on in karachi for easing the traffic, but there is hardly any project gong on in lahore except for that ever completing ring road. lahore traffic is getting worse every day, the ov realy need to do something in 2-3 yrs if nothing is done i think it will be horrible.

huit

February 19th, 2007, 12:11 PM

LDA has approved 48-storey tower on Jail Road: nazim

LAHORE: The governing body of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has approved the construction of the 48-storey LDA Tower at the site of the WASA headquarters near the Landmark plaza on the Jail Road, district nazim Mian Aamer Mahmood told a meeting on Sunday.

Aamer said there would be six basements and a parking capacity of 714 cars and 1,029 motorcycles at the building to be constructed at the cost of Rs 5.3 billion after demolishing the WASA building. “A revolving restaurant will be constructed at the top storey,” he added. He said the building would have a capacity of 160 offices spread over 2,000 square feet each.

He said the commercialisation fee for the construction of parking plazas in the densely populated areas had been waived to attract the investors. “The City District Government Lahore is searching for suitable sites for parking plazas,” he added. staff report

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\19\story_19-2-2007_pg7_46

huit

February 19th, 2007, 12:13 PM

CM lays foundation stone of Mian Mir Hospital

LAHORE: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of Mian Mir Hospital, which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 500 million on an area of 28 kanals. Federal Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, provincial ministers Abdul Aleem Khan, Muhammad Basharat Raja and Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, city nazim Mian Amer Mahmood and Gulberg Town nazim Faraz Ahmad Chaudhry were also present. The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to start construction on March 5. He said that Mian Mir Hospital would provide modern health facilities to a large number of people. Later, the chief minister visited Jamilabad near Engineering University and inaugurated a Rs 200 million sewerage project. staff report

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\19\story_19-2-2007_pg13_2

huit

February 19th, 2007, 12:15 PM

I agree with others - things have become extremely shoddy in Lahore!

huit

February 26th, 2007, 05:17 PM

Lahore Lake Project to recharge ground water

Staff Reporter

LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Irrigation Chaudhry Aamir Sultan Cheema said the feasibility study for the 'Lahore Lake Project', being started by Irrigation department, was in progress.

"The basic objective of the project is to recharge ground water and provide recreational activities to the public, he said while chairing a meeting. He said that the lake measuring 16 kilometers would be constructed on the upstream Ravi River from Shahdra Railway Bridge to Ravi Siphon.

The minister said it was proposed to build dykes along the lake and the design of the barrage had been made keeping in view the capacity of the existing structures on the downstream side of the proposed barrage.

The minister said a preliminary road lake study had been carried out to connect the barrage and the lake to the main and small roads close to the lake area.

Cheema said that after Sindh Basin Treaty, when the waters of Ravi were given to India, the ground water level of the City started to reduce rapidly. This project would help recharge ground water and leave a positive effect on the environment.

He said Lahore Lake would also contribute to recreational facilities. He directed the Irrigation department to complete the study within the shortest possible time.

http://www.thepost.com.pk/CityNews.aspx?dtlid=84607&catid=3

punjab

February 28th, 2007, 07:57 PM

ring road construction is going at good speed, no need to worry about it, check out the one infront of the airport, the main road has been widened by like 5 times. dha have also took over park view, and pace construction is going on in same area,

PakiDoperz

March 1st, 2007, 04:48 AM

cany any body get pics of ring road section infront of airport

punjab

March 1st, 2007, 04:50 AM

its nothing photogenic, just mud all over the place.

Metropole

March 1st, 2007, 05:09 AM

its nothing photogenic, just mud all over the place.

Yaar, a construction site isn't expected to be beautiful. We just want to see the current state of construction, so if you have the ability then please by all means take some pictures and post them. In fact we need lots more pictures of the work in progress in various parts of Lahore.

PakiDoperz

March 1st, 2007, 07:45 AM

yea karachiite is right

punjab

March 2nd, 2007, 06:36 PM

ok, well i saw the site last week, construction was going fine and they were widing the main airport road, the width was many times larger then the current road, but sorry i am currently in london and have to go to singapore next week so wont be in lahore till about 3 weeks.

Et cetera

March 3rd, 2007, 02:36 PM

Lahore Ring Road U/C---> Infront Of The Airport
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s108/oyeyaar/Image474-001.gif

PakiDoperz

March 3rd, 2007, 02:56 PM

i just want to know that right infront of airport and next to parkview society there is a small village and some part of ring road was suppose to pass through it and few houses were supposed to be demolished are they demolished by now or people showing some resisitance

SomeCanuckDude

March 3rd, 2007, 07:36 PM

is the Ring Road an access controlled highway or the intersections at-grade

Dallas1

March 6th, 2007, 03:03 PM

Pakia

March 9th, 2007, 08:14 PM

Lahore, Karachi to get mass transit system

Munizae Jahangir

Friday, March 9, 2007 (Lahore):

Lahore is the fifth largest city in South Asia with a population of 8.5 million but without a state owned public transport system.

As the number of vehicles continues to rise, the once beautiful city has become noisy and polluted and the traffic situation chaotic.

"People waste so much time commuting it takes people 2-3 hours to get to work but these cars pollute the environment. There is so much dirt and dust. That's why so many people keep falling ill," said a local.

But now, to address these problems, a mass transit system has been planned for both Lahore and Karachi.

Viable project

And to advise the government on the $8 billion project, Delhi's Metro Rail Service Managing Director Dr E Sreedharan has been roped in.

Sreedharan, who paid a visit to Lahore, declared the first phase of the mass transit system a viable project.

"He is very experienced. We invited him He was very keen to come as well. He personally visited all the sites that we had marked for the train. He appreciated our effort and told us to go ahead with it. It will greatly improve the quality of our life," said Pir Ghulam Mohyuddin Chishti, Minister For Transport, Pakistan.

In the first phase, a green line has been planned that will cover a 27-km stretch and have 22 stations. Later, four more lines will be added. The first train is expected to roll out in 2012.

At Lahore's busy Ferozepur Road, over five lakh people travel on this road every single day. The first station on the green line will be constructed in this area, thereby reducing the traffic volume drastically.

After the launch of the light rail transit in Lahore, the government plans to introduce the service in other cities as well.

http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?id=101937

oogabooga

March 9th, 2007, 09:35 PM

Pakia

March 10th, 2007, 04:42 PM

^^ DUNNO. MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE DOES?

IndiansUnite

March 10th, 2007, 04:45 PM

Different people.

punjab

March 11th, 2007, 09:08 PM

great to hear about the news, lets hope it starts on time.

punjab

March 12th, 2007, 04:41 AM

Traffic is getting so bad in Lahore that it can’t be explained in words, Canal Rd, Mall Rd, Multan Rd Allama Iqbal Town no matter where you go its big mess encroachments, pollution, dust cloud ….. I don’t see any real development being done any where in Lahore at least  but if you read news paper oh God you will see completely different story………………….100 million for this and 50 million for that, Para likha Punjab, Computer taking care of agriculture water theft …………………

well the problem is with the residants, not the gov., belive me i know from good sources that gov. is serious in developing lahore but what ever project they start ends up going to court.

currently liberty market development is in progress and will be a great place once complete, alot of money had gone into it. same with the roads in gulberg, there is a great plan to develop mm alam road but before that begins the roads leading to it have to be fully upgraded which they are getting now

wall city is also getting restored and ring road is in full flow.

unfrotunatly all the big foreign investment projects like 30,000 acres lake view city, 3,000 acre sports city have been taken to court.

Metropole

March 12th, 2007, 04:50 AM

The Pakistani courts are the nightmare of every developer. Basically if you don't want a project to go ahead - maybe you don't like the developer - you go and file a case in court. We know how slow the legal process is and therefore the project dies.

There are stories of people running around for decades to get cases resolved.

That's why the only way things will ever get done in Pakistan is to ram projects down the throats of everyone and not let the bureaucrats and lawyers destroy everything.

vazim

March 28th, 2007, 10:05 PM

Law for preservation of Walled City in deliberation

LAHORE: Planning and Development Board chairman Suleman Ghani said on Tuesday that the Punjab government would implement new legislation for the preservation of the Walled City. The legislation, under the Sustainable Development of Walled City Lahore (SDWCL) project, would provide a regulatory framework for the protection of historic monuments.

Speaking at the Exploring the Economic Potential of the Walled City seminar, he said that new regulations were required to cope with the challenges being faced. He said that that a proposed draft had been prepared and would soon be finalised. A realisation on how historic cities should be managed is needed, he said. “The challenge is to make the Walled City economically viable while promoting culture and tourism. This is only possible with the help of all stakeholders, especially citizens.”

SDWCL director general, Muhammad Humayun Farshori, said, “The project’s objective is to bring the cultural heritage of the Walled City into modern society.” He said that people were abandoning the Walled City because of unhygienic and unsafe conditions. He said the project would involve a long-term and sustainable economic revival. Removing encroachments, reclaiming occupied space, parking lots and legislation for the grandeur of the Walled City are key issues for the completion of the project. “This task is impossible without the support of stakeholders and proper strategic planning.”

Fakir Syed Aijazuddin, in a visual presentation titled A Journey Through Time, provided glimpses of old Lahore and its architectural grandeur. He called for the documenting of Lahore’s history and revival of ancient culture. Raffaele Gorjux, a Moroccan architect, gave a briefing on Methods To Explore Tourism-Related Economic Potential of the Walled City (Pilot Project) Lahore. He explained that Morocco was collaborating with the Punjab government to assess the pilot project’s economic viability.

Dr Shaukat Mahmood (Maxim) gave a visual presentation on Architectural Heritage of the Walled City. All the seminar participants called for effective legislation to ensure the project’s sustainability by future governments.

Senior government officials, district government representatives, cultural experts, architects and students from various universities attended the daylong seminar.

The seminar was organised to encourage awareness of the Walled City’s development. Organisers solicited suggestions regarding appropriate ways of maintaining equilibrium between the development and conservation of the Walled City. Chief Secretary Salman Siddique was the chief guest on the occasion.

vazim

March 28th, 2007, 10:06 PM

Royal Trail project part of Walled City restoration

* 36 acres of required 106 encroached upon

LAHORE: The provincial government in a seminar on Tuesday announced a pilot project for the restoration and preservation of the shahi guzargah (Royal Trail). The 1.6-kilometre street, from the Delhi Gate to the Lahore Fort, would be maintained under the city’s Sustainable Development of Walled City project.

A survey of encroachments on the route has been started. Initial reports estimate that out of the 106 acres of land required for the project, 36 acres have been encroached upon.

Sustainable Development of Walled City Lahore (SDWCL) director general, Muhammad Humayun Farshori, said that the survey would be completed by July 2007. He said that the initial work of the pilot project would start by October 2007. The project would be completed over three to four years. The World Bank has provided $10 million and the Punjab government will match that amount.

Earlier, talking to the participants of the seminar, Exploring the Economic Potential of the Walled City, Farshori said that two grid stations of the Lahore Electricity Supply Company (LESCO) were encroaching on the project land. He said the first step was to transfer the electrical system underground. The sewers would be replaced with steel pipes, he said. The 68 LESCO power transformers would be reduced to 23 and hidden away, he said. Farshori said that the government had also decided to restore the old Circular Park. He said that some of the Lahore Fort wall would also be restored but no major changes would be made to the integral structure. He said that the aim of the project was to attract tourism.

The pilot project has been planned by the city’s Project Management Unit. It would restore the Royal Trail from Delhi Gate, through Masti Gate to the Lahore Fort. The Circular Park would be restored by removing all encroachments. The project divides the trail into five sections; Delhi gate, Masjid Wazir Khan, Baoli Bagh, Akbari Gate and the triangle.

The Royal Trail is a densely populated area with a wide variety of businesses along it. The architectural monuments on it increase the street’s importance. Some of the historical monuments include, the shahi hamam (Royal Bath), the Wazir Khan mosque, Sonehri Masjid, Baoli Bagh and the Maryam Zamani mosque.

An Italian consultant prepared the pre-feasibility report for the project. It lay down the concept and contours of the pilot project. It also mentioned tentative costs and suggestions on how to proceed. The project’s aim is to establish a heritage trail. It will link cultural assets, associated tourism facilities, food and beverage stalls, local craft shops and services of guides and interpreters. The trail will encourage international as well as domestic tourism.

Presently, the shahi guzargah is a linear bazaar. It has numerous side streets leading to residential areas. It has several shops selling items like clothing, shoes, jewellery and cosmetics. Town planning by-laws have permitted a disorganised neighbourhood development that replaces old buildings with the new resulting in an aesthetically disjointed appearance.

The major challenge is including the community in the development process. The ultimate goal is to empower them to maintain the project on their own. Technical plans for the area have still to be completed.

The pilot project will develop a strategic approach to urban development, cultural conservation and display. Potential threats to the structures will be eliminated and cultural tourism promoted. The project will upgrade the overall environment to enhance tourist presence. Tourism-related facilities will also be provided.

SJToronto

March 28th, 2007, 11:47 PM

Finally they are restoring the walled city. I think if done properly this could be one of the greatest tourist attractions in the region.

Sikandar

March 29th, 2007, 12:27 AM

vazim

March 29th, 2007, 12:11 PM

^^ excellent idea, always pleasure to read your post!

I think PMU (Project management unit www.pmupunjab.gov.pk , which is a division of Planning & development www.pndpunjab.gov.pk) is a good org and already heading some mega projects with the involvement of local consultants, like ring road, sialkot-lahore motorway etc.

punjab

March 29th, 2007, 08:54 PM

Agreed.. to be honest I don't have much faith in the city or provincial government's ability to really capture the public imagination with their Walled City project. I would present it to a first-class, seasoned developer like Emaar or Nakheel and see what they think should be done with it. They've done a great job creating a sense of history with some of their projects, I wonder what they could do with this. First of all, renovate all the gates and make them very prominent, and that means burying power lines, cleaning the pollution and advertisements, landscaping, etc.. you can't do these things half-assed but this is a good start.

selling the wall city would be the last thing i would think of, that should never happen. it should stay in gov. hands.

and there is no need to renovate it, some silly architechs would just come and put modern struchures there, what they need to do is just restore the whole wall city, first thing will be to remove all encrohments, hide electric wires, ass street lighting and greenry, close all inside streets and pedestrenze them, make car parks, and ofcourse restore all struchures.

they should also try and get hotels to be setup there,

heera mandi should be turned back into what it was before, it can become a world attraction, they need to turn it into streets with rooms what girls dance in.

i have a very big plan for this area, and have given my views on it to parveiz elahi,

vazim

March 30th, 2007, 01:07 PM

By Hasan Ali

LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways (PR) will renovate the Lahore Railway Station while keeping its original structure intact.

PR general manager Asad Saeed has visited the station and has asked PR superintendent (Lahore division) Muhammad Khalid to restore the structure in its original shape.

The station was built during the British Raj in the 19th century.

PR authorities have shut down the antique ventilators of the station because the rainwater poured in from them and accumulated on the platforms. Authorities have also painted on the antique doors and windows of the station instead of polishing them. The station’s ceiling, made of wood, has now been covered with plastic sheets.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed a week ago told the general manger to restore the station in its original form.

Muhammad Khalid said restoration work on the station would start on Friday (today) and that the railway would use its own funds for it. He said the general manager had also visited the platforms and checked all tracks and had told authorities to change the tracks of platforms numbers 3, 3A, 6, 6A. He said the general manager had also showed concern over the hanging electric wires and asked authorities to first check all wires and then fix them underground.

“Asad Saeed has also asked authorities to renovate and upgrade the second-class waiting rooms and provide more facilities to passengers,” he said, adding that the renovation and restoration process would take about six months.

Asad Saeed said the railway minister had asked him to inspect all railway stations in Pakistan. “We want to make the Lahore Railway Station the best in the world, as it was in the past,” he said.

Sikandar

March 30th, 2007, 07:05 PM

selling the wall city would be the last thing i would think of, that should never happen. it should stay in gov. hands.

and there is no need to renovate it, some silly architechs would just come and put modern struchures there, what they need to do is just restore the whole wall city, first thing will be to remove all encrohments, hide electric wires, ass street lighting and greenry, close all inside streets and pedestrenze them, make car parks, and ofcourse restore all struchures.

they should also try and get hotels to be setup there,

heera mandi should be turned back into what it was before, it can become a world attraction, they need to turn it into streets with rooms what girls dance in.

There is definitely a need to renovate, I don't think anyone can argue that.. agreed there should not be modern looking buildings, but I think we mean renovate old buildings to reclaim their original look. Even new hotels should be required to adhere to strictly Moghul architecture. I'd like to see the area stay with the government too, but I just don't think they have the money required to see these plans out properly and completely.. and I would hate to see corners being cut on an area as prestigious as this.

siamu maharaj

March 30th, 2007, 09:54 PM

I would personally be against giving it to Emaar and the likes. They don't seem to have any respect for heritage. It's all about bigger and gaudier. More like showing who has a bigger penis. Not that it's gonna happen, but the walled city should be given to some old European company, they'd know about heritage and history. And Heera Mandi should be preserved, it's really a cultural thing.

Pakia

March 31st, 2007, 12:09 AM

^^ If they can't afford some decent European company for restoration job, perhaps they can look into some companies from neighbouring south asian nations that have done good restoring work in their respective countries.

Their understanding of the cultural heritage & experience in restoring buildings that are exposed to similar elements would be more helpful.

Afterall what good is SAARC.

Any recommendation our Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan friends?

siamu maharaj

March 31st, 2007, 10:54 AM

SAARC is up there with some of the most useless organizations. Like the OIC, etc. I think India didn't even participate in SAARC's last meeting. It should be dissolved.

safe_blood

March 31st, 2007, 02:35 PM

wall city definatly needs some restoring to do, with it some traffic ligts, pedistrian bridges and a bus system.

safe_blood

March 31st, 2007, 02:40 PM

Mass Transit Train Lahore: ADB Agreed to Finance
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safe_blood

March 31st, 2007, 02:44 PM

Trade City Lahore
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safe_blood

March 31st, 2007, 02:46 PM

http://www.pakrealestatetimes.com/attachment.php?aid=18http://www.pakrealestatetimes.com/attachment.php?aid=18

safe_blood

March 31st, 2007, 02:48 PM

Lahore 2030

By Ahmad Rafay Alam

Last week, the Institute of Architects of Pakistan co-hosted an exhibition of construction materials at a hotel in Lahore. To spice things up, a two-day conference of sorts was arranged around the exhibition, and speakers were invited to comment on various facets of the future of Lahore.

I was invited to comment on papers being delivered by architects Kamil Khan Mumtaz and Imrana Tiwana on the subject of Lahore 2030. Our chief guest was the man with the toughest job in the city, District Nazim Mian Amir Mehmood. It was March 17, the day the Punjab police tear-gassed the Lahore High Court and baton-charged lawyers peacefully protesting the un-constitutional suspension of the chief justice of our country.

Kamil Khan eloquently highlighted some of the problems Lahore faces in terms of its expansion and urban sprawl. The phrase urban sprawl — the typical form of most types of late twentieth century suburban development — requires some understanding as various definitions exist. A good rule of thumb is to recognise urban sprawl as a form of urbanisation distinguished by a leapfrog pattern of development, commercial strips, low density, separated land uses, automobile dominance and a minimum of public open spaces. With the current demand in housing and a residential unit template based on a leafy Model Town-like bungalow and garden, Lahore faces an explosion in size in the next decade.

Contrary to what people may think, there is nothing wrong with urban sprawl per-se. They are a testament to our affinity to private land ownership; they arise sometimes as a result of the easy and cheap availability of land outside the hustle and bustle of the city and sometimes because of an inefficient public housing policy; and they are shaped by the bye-laws and rules of our development authorities and private housing schemes. In the future, the insulation some of our housing societies enjoy — and the remarkable freedom they have from any binding ties with the rest of the city — may be increased by technology such as the internet and electronic commerce: people will have less reason to commute.

But urban sprawl has its problems as well. Without proper public transport, the city’s road and utility infrastructure becomes inadequate for the needs of the many commuters to and from far-flung residential areas. Often, the growth of the sprawl discriminates against the poor and underprivileged: their land is acquired for the “public purpose,” forcing them to relocate even further from the city. This does no favours to traffic and is no good for the environment, as the dislocated poor can afford only the rashly driven and pollution emitting private sector substitute for public transport. Of course, this is not to say that the automobile reliance characteristic of urban sprawl is any better. Sprawl fuels our addiction to roads and automobiles.

Sprawl also eats up rural land at the outskirts of an urban area — called peri-urban areas. In the mid-1960s, there was nothing but fruit trees in the area which now forms the environs of Liberty Market. Earlier still, the Model Town and the Walton Airfield were not even considered part of the city. Sprawl has deprived us of profitable rural land, has redefined the vary look of Lahore, and has profoundly effected its soul.

In my comments to Kamil Sahib’s paper, I pointed out how Lahore (and here I was not referring to the Cantonment or the Defence juggernaut) was governed by two institutions: the City District Government of Lahore and the Lahore Development Authority. There are, however, several areas where the responsibilities of both these institutions overlap. Theoretically, the intent and purpose of the decentralisation which was central to the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001 was to do away with provincial level interference in essentially local and community matters. In light of the 2001 law and typical of the pace of our bureaucracy, only now are concrete steps being taken to move responsibility from the archaic LDA to the institutions of local government. These steps may be too little or too late, and obviously face some resistance from parties interested in the status quo.

Under the PLGO, the power and function to regulate land use and zoning matters is vested with town municipal administrations. The LDA has, however, performed this service since its creation in 1975. Indeed, last year’s budget figures reveal that the LDA netted 37 per cent of its revenue receipts from commercialisation fees and another 37 per cent from assorted fines and penalties — all of which should fall within the jurisdiction and pockets of the CDGL. In addition, the LDA nets another 8 per cent of its revenue receipts from urban immovable property tax. All told, nearly 80 per cent of the LDA’s 1.2 billion revenue receipts last year come from exercising land use and zoning controls and regulations.

The question to ask is, why haven’t the town municipal administrations of the city (there are nine) seized what is rightfully theirs? The answer must lie in the strength of the status quo (as shown by the massive receipts of the LDA) and with powers that be. But a recent decision of the Lahore High Court may have what it takes to tip the scales. Mr Justice Azmat Saeed, in his decision in the Model Town/Amer Bakht Azam/Makro Cash & Carry case (WP 4006/2006) held that a perusal of the law “makes it clear that and obvious that the town municipal administrations concerned exercise power and control over land use and development and zoning . . .” The Gulberg town municipal administration has picked up the gauntlet and, in a recent letter to the Model Town Society, has informed the Society of their intention to begin collecting building scrutiny fees for the Model Town area. Let’s see how the other TMAs respond.

One is not necessarily against the existence of the LDA, nor does one find it necessary to look towards the law — which tells us that conflicting jurisdictions are not a worry because new legislation “impliedly repeals” older legislation. One need only to look at the LDA’s history and impact on the city of Lahore.

Twenty-eight Per cent of the LDA’s revenue expenditure last year was on salaries and allowances. Another 12 per cent were spent on “contingencies” (whatever they are) and 19 per cent on “other revenue expenditure” such as the cost of plant and machinery, stationary and so on. Thus nearly 60 per cent of the LDA’s revenue expenditure is spent on non-development items. It’s no wonder that the LDA relies on its two-step business model to survive just its overheads. Step 1: Set out a scheme, sell plots as residential then, when the plots are sold, commercialise. Step 2: When there’s no room left for further commercialisation, repeat Step 1.

What’s the problem with this? Apart from the inefficiency the overlapping jurisdiction creates and the huge cost to the taxpayer (two institutions collect fees and tax to do the same thing), the LDA business plan relies on low density housing and feeds urban sprawl. If the LDA has its way, or if city fathers don’t wake up to the scope of the problem before them, Lahore in 2030 will stretch from Sheikhupura and Gujranwala to the north to past Kasur in the south. No longer will it be the Mughal city of gardens. The time has come to set limits to the city of Lahore. Development for development’s sake will not solve the economic needs of the people. On the contrary, it will drown them in a maze of soulless and unidentifiable concrete.

The writer is an advocate of the high court and a member of the adjunct faculty at LUMS. He has an interest in urban planning. Email: ralam@nexlinx.net.pk
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=48380

safe_blood

March 31st, 2007, 02:54 PM

Lahore Ring Road package 3 to be completed by year end
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vazim

April 2nd, 2007, 12:11 AM

Pictures of Lahore at Eid-Milad

Wapda house, Lahore
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State Bank of Pakistan on Mall Road, Lahore
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Pace on Main Boulevard Gulberg, Lahore
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National Bank of Pakistan, Mall Road, Lahore
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A Mosque on Mall/ Canal Junction
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A educatioal institute on Main Boulevard Gulberg
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General Post Office on Mall Road, Lahore
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Governer House, Mall Road, LAhore
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BAnk Alfalah, Mall Road, in front of Assembly Hall / Wapda house
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Assembly Hall
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Aiwan Iqbal in front Holiday Inn, Lahore
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PakiDoperz

April 2nd, 2007, 06:59 AM

Pictures of Lahore at Eid-Milad

A educatioal institute on Main Boulevard Gulberg
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its not an educational insititue it used to be but got closed down 1-2 years back, this building is occupied by Telenor as its head office in lahore.

Sania

April 5th, 2007, 09:25 PM

New retail outlet will modernise shopping’

* Pervez Elahi opens Metro Cash n Carry Centre on Multan Road

LAHORE: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi inaugurated a retail outlet of an international chain on Wednesday, and said the company’s arrival in Lahore would modernise the city’s retail marketing system.

Inaugurating the Metro Cash n Carry Centre on Multan Road on Wednesday, he President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s policies had restored the world’s confidence in Pakistan and increased the pace of foreign investment. Metro Cash n Carry’s large investment in Punjab, he said, would strengthen economy and benefit consumers and farmers.

Metro Pakistan managing director Henry Birr, representatives of Metro International (James Scott and Givanni Soranzo), Provincial Minister for Industry Muhammad Ajmal Cheema, Minister for Communication and Works Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan, chief secretary Salman Siddique, Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood and Pak-German Business Forum president Farhat Ali were also present on the occasion.

According to a press release, he said Metro is the third largest retail company in world in terms of revenue and its investment in Pakistan was a matter of pride.

The said the Metro Cash n Carry Centres would help control the rates of essentials and that was the government’s priority. Utility Stores had been set up in all union councils, he said, to ensure the availability of quality goods at affordable prices. He also referred to the Punjab government’s Sasta Atta Scheme.

The project, he said, would also create jobs and help the cottage industry and farmers sell their products. The centre would help make Lahore “a modern city”, he said, along with an IT Park, the Lahore Ring Road, the Sports City and new universities.

Improving communications was also the government’s priority, he said, and the construction of Lahore-Sialkot Motorway and the Lahore Ring Road had increased economic activity in the province.

Metro Cash n Carry representative James Scott said the Punjab government had provided “comprehensive assistance” to the Metro Cash n Carry Centres project. He thanked the chief minister, the industries minister, the current and former chief secretaries, and the former industries secretary, Javed Majid.

According to another press release, the chief minister told reporters after the inauguration that the opposition had only given strike calls and held protests in last four years, while the government worked on a number of development projects. The government had fulfilled all its promises, he said, and proven that it ”believes in serving people”.

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