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Infrastructure Development in Pakistan

I thought BRT was a funny concept too, growing up in a place like Montreal with a subway system. Until I lived in Ottawa. For a small town their BRT is super effective. Much cheaper than an MRT, more frequent service than regular city bus service, and dedicated roads with zero traffic. Actually makes a lot of sense.

People have no concept of how expensive a metro system is to run and maintain, let alone actually build. In my province there are folks living hundreds of kms away paying for our subway, they're never even going to use it!

BRT is a great step forward, especially for energy strapped Pakistan... One step at a time our country will be transformed!
 
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Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metro Bus

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  • URBAN DEVELOPMENT FEB 2014: Building the capital

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LAHORE: In the year 2014, several infrastructure developments projects were completed in Lahore. These included the Azadi Signal Free Junction and an overhead motorcyclists’ ring at Chungi Amarsidhu (Ferozpur Road).

The housing and construction sectors also registered strong growth, mainly due to rising demand for new houses. As people from rural areas continued pouring into the city seeking better economic prospects, the development of new housing societies on the city’s outskirts continued in 2014. Also, during the year, the role of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) was expanded to entire Lahore division, excluding cantonments. The authority is now responsible for development in Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib and Kasur.

According to an LDA spokesperson, the authority spent around Rs11 billion on infrastructure projects in 2014. The focus remained on Metro Bus route. However, construction on the much-awaited Ravi bridge project did not start. The plans to shift the Badami Bagh bus stand and the vegetable market also did not materialise. A project was started to link Maulana Shaukat Ali Road with Wahdat Road through Punjab University Campus.

The authorities also proposed the establishment of a new business district on 225 acres near Walton Airport.




  • Lahore December 27, 2014:----The Governing Body of Lahore Development Authority granted administrative approval for executing three new development projects in the city at a cost of Rs.2.12 billion on Saturday.

The meeting gave a go ahead for construction of Signal-Free corridors on Jail Road and Main Boulevard Ggulberg, at a cost of Rs. 1.52 billion. Project for improvement of Southern Bypass from Thoker Nniaz Beg Chowk to Wapda Town roundabout, (both sides) will be executed with a cost of Rs.172.064 million. LDA will construct Kahna Kacha Flyover Project in Public Private Partnership Mode. It will incur an expenditure of Rs.423.22 million on acquisition of land as well as removal, relocation or diversion of the utilities services while cost of construction of fly over will be borne by the private partner.

The meeting decided to start development of LDA City Housing Scheme in phases and taking areas of villages Kahna and Sidhar and their adjoining land as first phase for starting development works. It also decided for construction of an additional access road having a width of 150 feet from Ferozepur Road to Kahna Katcha Road. The Authority granted permission to process the case of government department / institution/ statutory body which submit an application for reservation of separate block of plots for their employees in LDA City.

The meeting decided for restricting temporary commercialization in LDA Avenue-I, Jubilee Town and Mohlanwal Housing Schemes. It also decided that the for plots of LDA Avenue-I, date of three years building period which is allowed free of surcharge may be fixed up to three years from the date of issuance of possession notice from the Directorate of Estate Management Avenue –I.

The Governing Body of LDA decided for allotment of plot No. 67 and 67-C, (public building plots), Civic Centre Block, M.A. Johar Town scheme to Energy Department, Government of Punjab for construction of Energy Complex. It also allotted plots to WASA in Johar Town and Tajpura for installation of plants for bottled water.

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How does that matter? It's not for the population to understand. The consultants/engineers must have a reason? And I hope that reason is not to save on the 20-30% extra that you might have to spend. Because that is very short sighted thinking.

1)According to this dawn article, the Lahore metrobus cost $11m per kilometer. That's almost as much as any metro line in India costs. And most metro line inIindia carry 3lakh+ passengers per day. The ones in China carry even more. That's almost 3 times as much as the Lahore metrobus.

2)All your cities are definitely going to have metros in the future. (I've heard some are already planned). Wont these BRT viaducts act like major hurdles in construction? You'll have to move your metros underground (5 times the cost) or higher (again much more expensive).

I hope there is a very good reason why the government chose BRT, when it is almost spending the same amount.
Cost difference between Metro and BRT was actually of over Rs.10bn and construction time would be much longer.
You see our govt is more interested in political point scoring to maintain it's vote bank and as such it wants the quickest and cheapest method of catching the public's eye.
The fed govt, for Karachi, instead of reviving the Karachi Circular Railway which could've been achieved at a cost of Rs2.5bn instead went for new construction of a BRT which costs Rs.15bn in total. Construction is supposed to begin in Jan/Feb 2015 and will be done in around an year but if they could've gone for KCR it would've taken same amount of time.
Another thing is, metro maintenance and supply of electricity is much, much more compared to BRT and since we're currently in the midst of fixing our energy crisis we can't afford any additional burden on the national grid.
 
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Various Projects From Lahore

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  • Ongoing work to install new flood control gates at Balloki Headworks at River Ravi (near Bhai Pehru)

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  • 3MW hydel plant in final stages


SIALKOT: The construction of a 3MW hydel power plant is in its final stages near Head Bambaanwala, Daska tehsil. This project would help overcome the energy crisis in the region.

According to senior officials, the Punjab government had approved a multi-dimensional plan to establish small hydel power plants on canals in Chiyaanwali Bangla in Daska, Head Marala in Sialkot, Head Rasul and Head Khanki.

These plants would have the capacity of producing two to 10 megawatts of electricity


  • Neurosciences institute among 10 approved schemes

LAHORE: Establishment of Punjab Institute of Neurosciences and small coal-fired power plants near load centres in Punjab were among the 10 development schemes approved on Wednesday by the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) with an estimated cost of Rs44,728.739 million.

The 29th meeting of the PDWP of 2014-15 fiscal also approved Punjab Thalassemia Prevention Programme (PTPP) at the cost of Rs498.049 million, small house-cum garden plots for eradication of poverty in Punjab (Pilot Project, Phase-I Revised) at the cost of Rs274.990 million and updating of feasibility study, preparation of PC-I, management of bidding process on EPC mode and construction supervision of 15-20MW Biomass Thermal Power Project near Chak Jhumra in Faisalabad district (PC-II) at the cost of Rs104.050 million.

Approval was granted for establishment of Punjab Institute of Neurosciences (PINS) Phase-I at Lahore General Hospital (Revised) at the cost of Rs2452.597 million; 2x55 MW (gross) coal-fired power plant at Sundar Industrial Estate at Lahore at the cost of Rs323,97.18 million and feasibility study for establishment of 50-200MW small coal-fired power plants near load centers in the Punjab (PC-II) at the cost of Rs120.268 million.

Other schemes include restoration of landslide at Jhika Gali at Murree (slope stablization/road improvement measures, third revised) at the cost of Rs1181.657 million, Widening and improvement of Sohawa-Chakwal-Talagang-Mianwali Road in Mianwali at the cost of Rs1704.649 million, Widening and improvement of Noor Pur Thal to main road of Quaidabad in Khushab district (revised) at a cost of Rs471.756 million and construction of dual carriageway from Gujrat to Salam Interchange (Motorway) through Mandi Bahauddin at a cost of Rs5523.543 million.


  • Mausoleum restoration project gets under way

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BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab Archaeology Department has begun work on the first phase of the restoration of Bibi Jiwandi’s mausoleum in Uch Sharif, about 70 kilometres from here.

The government has released Rs18 million as first installment. According to the original plan, the mausoleum restoration plan was to be undertaken in four phases at a cost of Rs86 million. The initial Rs18 million could not be released last year which delayed the launch of the project.

Now, the department has invited tenders for the project after receiving the grant.

The tomb’s structure, particularly its dome, was damaged by the floods in the last few years. Visitors to the historic place have been demanding restoration of the building.

Sub-engineer Sajjad Ahmad (archaeology department) says the first phase will be completed by June 30, 2015. He says the contractor has begun work on baking bricks of the specified design, colour and size to give back the tomb its glory and grandeur.
 
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