PML-N Dumped Mega Projects, says Pervaiz

Indeed very Ironic ...... Bad luck for Lahore ............... Don't know who is right who is wrong but fact is these two project were really wonderful
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PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has alleged the incumbent provincial government had abandoned multi-billion dollar foreign-funded projects such as ‘Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System’ and Abu Dahbi Centre at Ferozepur Road due to their inefficiency and lack of vision. Addressing a press conference, Pervaiz claimed that the execution of LRMTS project would have helped the provincial government address traffic problems, environment pollution and oil consumption.

He claimed that the city traffic could have a different look altogether had this project been implemented. The Asian Development Bank and private sector had agreed to put $1 billion each in the project, and the Punjab government $400 million, he added.He regretted that the current PML-N government has abandoned the project only because it was started by the PML-Q government. He urged media to inform the people about injustices being done to them by the PML-N government.

He claimed that he would raise this issue in Punjab Assembly through Opposition Leader Chaudhry Zaheer and Deputy Opposition Leader Ahmed Yar Hiraj.About the LRMTS project, Pervaiz said it included 97 kilometres of underground and elevated passages. In the first phase, it had linked Hamza Town on the Ferozepur Road to Shahdara. He said his government had planned to complete it before 2011 prior to the schedule of Cricket World Cup in 2012. He deplored that the current PML-N government simply lost interest and let the ADB loan expire in June 2009.

The project had the capacity to cater to 35,000 passengers every hour, making it 350,000 commuters in ten hours.“It is criminal negligence and we are taking our case to the people of Punjab to assess for themselves who was, or is, serving them better,” he said.Flanked by Ch Zaheeruddin, he said that the party would raise the matter on the floor of the Punjab Assembly.The project was well studied and thought out. Urban reliance on public transport system in Lahore is almost 60 per cent. In Vietnam, where such reliance was only 20 per cent, it rose rapidly with the introduction of rapid mass transit system, he said.In India, the rapid mass transit system started in Kolkatta and in Delhi.

he Delhi Metro is now the second largest underground rapid transit system in India, he said. Due to the introduction of rapid mass transit system, the Indian society has witnessed a rapid economic, social and cultural transformation. For the financial year ending March 2008, it reported operating revenues of Rs3 billion ($62.89 million), with a profit of $4.12 million.Lahore, with a population of over 9 million, is the country’s 2nd largest city with a growth rate of four per cent. Its transport system, which has horizontal not vertical growth, is poorly developed and under-maintained. Due to high economic growth during 2002-07, vehicle ownership growth also accelerated leading to increased congestion, poor environment and degradation in quality of life, further exacerbating by diverse traffic mix and lack of traffic and pedestrian discipline.

According to an international survey more than 1.35 million passenger trip take place in Lahore daily, he said.The city is suffering annual loss of $100 million due to the absence of rapid, efficient, convenient, time and fuel saving mode of transportation. It has been a huge set back to real estate development, environmental pollution control and contributed to the flight of foreign capital and international investments, he claimed.“Every concerned citizen of Lahore must ask the current provincial government what made it dump the project of public welfare on political and personal grounds,” he said.