Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a high level meeting, on Saturday in which progress on Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme was reviewed in detail.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that a massive Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme has been started for the development of rural infrastructure and rural areas under which 150 billion rupees will be spent on the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads during three years. He said that Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme is a game changer and rural life will be changed through implementation of this programme and it will provide comforts in travelling to rural people. He said that under this programme, 12 feet wide carpeted roads are being constructed in rural areas while in addition, two feet wide paved shoulders will also be constructed and all rural roads will be repaired and rehabilitated under a phased-wise programme. He said that with the implementation of this programme, the construction sector will progress, hundreds and thousands of new job opportunities will be created and the rural economy will strengthen.
Shahbaz Sharif directed that under the first phase, the work of construction and rehabilitation of 255 roads should be completed by September 30 and high quality of construction and rehabilitation work should be ensured. He said that no compromise will be made on the quality of construction and rehabilitation of rural roads. He warned that on the complaint of sub-standard construction material, strict action will be taken. He said that looking after of rural roads constructed under this programme should be the responsibility of contractors for three years.
The CM directed concerned authorities that availability of material to be used in construction and rehabilitation of roads at reasonable rates and in abundance should be ensured and there should be no complaint in this regard. He said that strict action should be taken against the mafia creating artificial shortage of material and selling it on higher prices. He said that Punjab government has started a historic Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme for rural development and we all have to work hard for completing this programme and ensuring quality work. Shahbaz Sharif directed that the work of identification of new roads to be constructed under second phase should immediately be started so that the construction and rehabilitation of these roads should be started speedily. He said that the contractors qualifying for second phase will have to bring new machinery for construction and rehabilitation of roads.
