Funds Allocation For Lahore Mass Transit System in Punjab Budget 2008-09

The government has increased the budget of the special programmes sector by 23.3 percent. It has allocated Rs 41 billion under the head in the ADP 2008-09 against a revised allocation of Rs 33.25 billion in 2007-08.

The sector consists of district/TMA development programmes and special infrastructure. The government has allocated Rs 12 billion to TMA development and Rs 29 for special infrastructure.

Special infrastructure consists of three major projects including the Lahore Ring Road (LRR), Sialkot-Lahore Motorway and Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS).

In LRR, the government will construct interchanges at Saggian, GT Road and Canal Crossing and Rs 19.93 billion will be spent on the project with ongoing and new schemes. On the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway, Rs 1.92 billion will be spent.

In LRMTS, the government will remove utilities services by LESCO, WASA, PTCL, NTC and SNGPL in 2008-09. Around Rs 6.13 billion will be spent on new and ongoing schemes.