Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif while presiding over a high-level meeting to review the pace of work on the Metro Bus Service project said that the splendid welfare-oriented project of Metro Bus Service is heading towards completion and with the launching of the service the temporary inconvenience of citizens will change into permanent relief while the critics will also be silenced.
He said that the project would be a unique example of speed, transparency and standard. He said that the metro bus project would bring about a revolutionary change in the transport system.
He further said that while E-ticketing system would ensure charging of genuine fare, it would also introduce a modern transport culture in the country.
He also said that poor people have equal right over the country’s resources and by spending billions of rupees on public welfare projects, the Punjab government was upholding the tradition of providing rights to the poor masses.
Lahore Transport Company Chairman Khawaja Ahmed Hassan, Members Provincial Assembly (MPAs) Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Hafiz Muhammad Nauman, Ramzan Siddique Bhatti, Planning & Development chairman, Secretary Transport, heads of development institutions and contractors were also present during the meeting.
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General (DG) Ahad Cheema and the Metro Bus Service Project Director Sibtain Fazal-e-Haleem informed the CM about the pace of work on the route of metro bus.
Addressing the meeting, the Punjab CM said that metro bus service was a public welfare project and every effort should be made for its speedy completion while every task should be completed within the timeframe at any cost. He said that no compromise would be made on the quality of the project and in case of any complaint the persons responsible would not be spared.
Expressing his dissatisfaction over the pace of work on the route of metro bus from Qadaffi Stadium to Ichara, the CM directed that the work should be accelerated and completed within the stipulated period.
He further said that Kalma Chowk was being made signal-free through construction of underpasses so that citizens would not face any inconvenience. He also said that the foundation stone of the new bridge over the River Ravi would soon be laid, adding that it would be an architectural masterpiece when completed.
Furthermore, he directed that the flow of traffic at Chungi Amar Sidhu and Azadi Chowk should be improved and the number of pedestrian bridges should be increased. He said that the contractors working on metro bus project should continue to work with commitment and should utilize all their energies for the early completion of this project.
LDA DG and metro bus service project director while informing about the pace of work on the route of metro buses informed the CM that the work was continuing on a fast pace on various sections and all possible resources were being utilized for its completion within the decided timeframe.
They also informed that the route of metro bus from Ichra to Qartaba Chowk would be completed by December 15 while the construction work of the additional bridge along Lahore Bridge would be completed by December 18. Punjab Information Technology Board Chairman while briefing the meeting on E-ticketing system said that work on the system was being carried out expeditiously.
He said that a control room would be set up for metro bus service from which the movement of buses on the entire route would be monitored. He further said that passengers would be given information about the movement of the buses through LED screens.
Later, the contractors assured the participants of the meeting that maximum resources were being utilized for early completion of the metro bus project, adding that the ongoing work would be completed on time.
‘Metro Bus Service project to be completed within stipulated time’
