LAHORE - Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday inaugurated three-lane Muslim Town Flyover, the longest flyover of the country so far. The project was completed in a record period of 176 days at a cost of Rs 2 billion on the important trade way Ferozepur Road, said spokesman of Punjab government. As many as 4,27,000 vehicles will pass over a 2.6 km long flyover daily. There will be a saving of Rs.2.6 billion in the fuel due to smooth flow of traffic and this bridge will compensate its construction cost only within a year.
Addressing the inaugural function, Shahbaz said that provision of comfortable and rapid public transport facilities to the poor and middle class is mission of his life. He said that a bus rapid transit system of international standard is being introduced in the province for the facility of the people who were forced to travel by old buses and wagons. He said that the costly cars of elite pass near the poor passengers who wait on bus stops for hours and think whether they will ever get such travelling facilities. He said that now most modern air-conditioned buses to be run under a bus rapid transit system will cross these costly cars and the rich people will surprise to see that poor people are travelling in these buses comfortably and honourably without any hindrance.
He said that the development work on this important public welfare project is continuing round the clock and in the next phase, the work on bus rapid project is also being started from Shahdra for which tenders will be opened soon. He disclosed that a 4-km long overhead bridge will also be constructed from Qartaba Chowk to Civil Secretariat under this project. He said that bus rapid transit system is ten times cheaper than the underground transport system and the project will be completed this year.
Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab government has promoted the culture of completing public welfare projects of billion of rupees in record period and transparent manner. He said that the important project of Thokar Niaz Baig Flyover had been delaying for two years in 2008 and Ali Baba 40 thieves of that time had got grabbed the project land and they had no courage to retrieve the occupied land but the present government completed this project in a very transparent manner. He said that due to the misdeeds of corrupt and inefficient rulers of Islamabad, the country has been plunged into darkness. Shahbaz Sharif further said that Punjab government has converted the graveyards of corruption into minarets of development through commitment, hard work and honesty. He said that Punjab govt has completed development projects in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and other cities speedily and transparently.
The CM said that no effort was spared to keep the process of development free from corruption in the province. That is why the project of provision of laptops to the talented students of higher educational institutions is unique with regard to transparency and merit but some elements are perturbed over it why access to modern education is being given to the poor students through laptops, he added. He said that these elements after the failure of impressing the youth through their tactics, also levelled false and baseless allegations but the Transparency International having international repute of ensuring transparency all over the world has given the certificate to Punjab government regarding complete transparency of this project.
On it, a head of liers levelled an allegation that Shahbaz Sharif had invited the representatives of Transparency International on a dinner, he added. The Chief Minister disclosed that the representatives of Transparency International have met him many times for performance of their professional duties during the last four years as keeping a watchful eye for maintaining transparency in Punjab province is their responsibility.
Earlier, Secretary Communication & Works Azam Suleman informed about various features of Muslim Town Flyover project.