The flyover will be a kilometre long and start and end 500 metres either side of Kalma Chowk on Ferozepur Road. The proposed underpass will run from Gulberg Main Boulevard to Garden Town Main Boulevard. The latter will also be widened to take advantage of the new underpass.
Kalma Chowk has been widened twice before, but is now regularly choked with traffic. At peak hours wardens usually switch off the traffic signals and direct traffic manually. Still, the queues of vehicles at the chowk often stretch back to the previous signal.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had asked officials a while ago to make a plan to resolve traffic issues at the chowk. At a meeting chaired by Lahore Commissioner Nadeem Hassan Asif a couple of days ago, it was decided to start work on the flyover. Ferozepur Road was previously under the city district government’s control, but was recently handed over to the Lahore Development Authority
Work on the flyover will start at once, said Israr Saeed, director of the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency. He said that work on the underpass is subject to the availability of funds. He said that an initial estimate put the cost of building the flyover and underpass at Rs. 2 billions. Saeed said that the feasibility report would be completed in three months by the National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak), following which it would take about a year to construct the flyover.
“The positive thing is that we don’t have to acquire any land for the project as enough land is already available,” he said.
Saeed said that the widening of Garden Town Main Boulevard would begin once the flyover and underpass are in the final stages. “Without broadening the road the underpass might not be as useful as it should be,” he said.
He said that the road would be widened from 24 feet to 36 feet. Another lane will be added along with service lanes. He said that the Barkat Market traffic signal would be removed and the next Y junction would be widened so vehicles could take a u-turn from there.
Saeed estimated that the road widening project would cost Rs. 275 Million. It will include building benches, an overhead pedestrian bridge and new plantations. The feasibility report for this project will also be conducted by Nespak. It will take about four months to complete, he added.
In a bid to provide better transport facilities to the citizens and to keep the traffic flow smooth, it has been decided to construct a flyover and underpasses at Kalma Chowk. This project will be launched within next 10 days and the Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif will lay its foundation stone. A decision in this regard was taken at a high level meeting chaired by Punjab CM on Saturday.
The meeting was attended by Planning & Development chairman, Communication and Works secretary, Lahore commissioner and DCO, LDA director general and NESPAK officials. Punjab CM, addressing the meeting, said owing to traffic muddle at the Kalma Chowk, increased commuting time irked commuters and especially students.
He said according to an estimate, about four lakh vehicles passed daily from the Kalma Chowk which often created traffic congestions. He said the provision of best traffic facilities was Punjab government's priority and these facilities had been provided to the people through the completion of various projects of infrastructure including Lahore Ring Road, Shalimar and Saggian Interchange, and in a most transparent manner.
He said it had been decided to construct underpasses and flyover at Kalma Chowk. Six-lane flyover will be constructed at Ferozepur Road, which will consist of three lanes each on both sides, while underpasses will also be constructed at Main Boulevard.
He the project will be made attractive through horticulture, planting of trees by the road side. Directing to gear up the pace of work at Multan Road, he also directed to complete the project at the earliest making use of all possible sources. Earlier, Communication and Works secretary and NESPAK officials briefed the project estimates of the flyover and underpasses at Kalma Chowk.
They informed that diversions will be provided during the construction of the project to save the masses from difficulties, and this project will be completed soon. Lahore commissioner informed that work on widening of Bhatta Chowk has been started which will also be completed soon.
