The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged the Punjab chief minister on Monday, to issue directions for the early completion of the construction of the Aiwan-e-Tijarat as the slow pace of work is troubling the thousands of commuters who use the important road daily. In a statement issued on Monday, LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said it was very unfortunate that the authorities concerned have attached little importance with this road despite being aware of the fact that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry is not only visited by thousands of businessmen but a large number of foreigners as well.
Some of the city’s most prestigious educational institutions are also situated on this road while it also links with the roads on which the Board of the Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) and its examination centres, Bagh-e-Jinnah and the Lahore Zoological Gardens are situated.
Students who come to the BISE examination centres were finding it hard to reach the exam centres in time.
Sheikh said the project to repair the road was initiated over a month ago, adding that it would have been better if one side of the road was completed before starting work on the other side.
He added that the government should ensure that the companies awarded the contracts for repairing these important roads should use the latest machinery which would cut down the time taken to construct or repair the roads.
The LCCI president said globally, the chambers of commerce and industry are given due importance in policy making and hardly any economic policies are put in place without an endorsement of these trade and industry institutions. He said the situation in Pakistan was the opposite.
Liberty parking plaza to go under the hammer today
The Lahore Development Authority will hold an open auction of 54 Liberty Park and Ride Plaza shops today (Tuesday) at the LDA Community Centre in New Muslim Town. According to a spokesman, 15 shops on the lower-ground floor, 19 on the ground floor and 20 on the first floor, besides restaurants on the first floor as well as on the rooftop will be sold through the auction. Parties interested in participating in the auction will have to deposit Rs 1 million earnest money for each shop, Rs 3.5 million for restaurant on Ist floor and Rs 6.75 million for the rooftop restaurants. Built at a cost of Rs 677 million, the 11-floor structure has been constructed on a 3.17 kanal piece of land adjacent to UC Hospital with entrances on all four sides. Eighty shops have been built in the basement, ground and first floors of the plaza along with two restaurants on the first floor and the rooftop of the building. 26 of these shops have already been auctioned. The plaza has a capacity of providing parking facilities to 308 cars a day. Security devices such as road blockers, car canners, CCTVs, public address system, fire alarm and firefighting equipment, audio and emergency buttons have also been installed in the building.