Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar inaugurated Firdous Market underpass aka Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Lahore on Thursday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The 540-metre-long two-lane dual carriageway underpass would facilitate traffic from the adjoining areas with special arrangements for water disposal.
The problem of traffic jams in Gulberg and Cantt areas will be resolved. The project would also benefit more than 91,000 vehicles daily and save fuel worth millions of rupees annually.
The project has been completed in 18 months with a cost of Rs1.18 billion.
CM Advisor on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said the Buzdar government does not merely talk but also fulfills its promises and the underpass will pave the way for other projects as well.
She said with this underpass project, the Punjab government has saved Rs130m and the project will smoothen the traffic flow in the city. “This underpass is a gift from the Buzdar government to the people of Lahore,” she added.
On the occasion, Education Minister Dr Murad Raas thanked Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for launching Lahore’s first development project in his constituency PP-159.
In a tweet, he said, “Today at the opening of Firdous Market Underpass in our Constituency PP159. I thank CM Usman Buzdar for inaugurating it and making life easier for residents in the area.”
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan did not inaugurate the project as per plan on Wednesday.
Deadlines were revised several times for the first mega project launched by the PTI government in the city, which was initially supposed to be completed in three months’ time well before August-end.
The government said no residential or commercial building was damaged to build the underpass.
Corona politicization by opposition a tragedy: CM
Usman Buzdar Thursday said that the politicization of novel coronavirus pandemic by the opposition parties is a tragedy. Buzdar, in a statement, said that the opposition had earlier failed to politicize another national issue and the public will not forgive the people who are involved in negative politics despite the pandemic.
The Punjab chief minister said that the PTI government has always stood by the people but unfortunately the opposition leaders are only making empty statements instead of standing with the public.
He said that the actions of the opposition leaders are proof that they only want to protect their personal interests. Coronavirus has changed the world but unfortunately, Pakistani opposition has not changed its politics, he added.