{EOP}China to Fund Lahore Mass Transit Project

LAHORE – An agreement was signed between the Punjab government and China in Beijing on the Lahore Mass Transit Project to be completed at a cost of US$1.7 billion.
After the Taunsa Power Project agreement, it is the second big achievement of the delegation visiting China-led by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. LTC Chairman Khawaja Ahmed Hassan on behalf of the Punjab government whereas Zhang Shiping, vice president of NORINCO, an international company of China, signed the agreement. Seven-kilometre portion of urban rail spreading over a stretch of 27-km in Lahore from Gajumata to Shahdara on Ferozepur Road would be laid underground. As much as 85 percent capital would be provided by China.
Addressing the agreement signing ceremony, Shahbaz said the project prepared with the cooperation of China would prove to be a beginning of public transport system revolution in Pakistan.
He said the economic cooperation by China with Punjab had transformed into solid agreements out of the MoUs. “Work on this project will be started during this year, and the Punjab government is ready to welcome the Chinese engineers and skilled workers for this purpose,” he added.
Meanwhile, at a high level four-hour long meeting presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at CM’s Secretariat here on Saturday, various proposals with regard to fixing the priorities of annual development programme 2011-12 and achievement of targets of the ADP 2010-11 were reviewed.
Senator Ishaq Dar, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Ch Nisar Ali Khan, Members National and Provincial Assemblies, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning & Development and Secretaries of various departments as well as senior officers attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz Sharif said despite flood devastations, no cut was made in the funds allocated for schemes with regard to providing education, health and other basic amenities during the current financial year. He mentioned that mobile health unit would be provided in each tehsil under a phased programme, and 20 more mobile health units would be imported during current year whereas, 30 mobile health units would be imported during next year. “Besides free medicines and the dialysis, new hospitals and medical colleges are also being established. In addition to health facilities, special attention has also been paid to the provision of education, infrastructure, safe drinking water and other basic facilities to the people,” he said, while Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department to evolve a strategy with regard to water supply schemes for providing potable water.
Sub-committees regarding education, health, infrastructure, agriculture and land were constituted in the meeting, which would present their recommendations for evolving a concrete course of action in connection with next ADP.
The Nation