LAHORE: Announcing the historic project of development of Punjab from Sutlej to Sindh, Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi said on Monday that Rs.160 billion ‘Sutlej Indus Economic Network Project (SIEN) has been approved for Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran and Bahawalpur.
The project, which would be completed in different phases, will be connected with motorways, GT roads and Indus Highway. In the first phase, the Kasur bypass to Lahore Ring Road G-1 SIEN Corridor will be completed with Rs.15 billion. Seven remote districts of Punjab will be connected with M-2, M-3, M-4, M-5 and M-11 motorways.
The CM said that access to 49% of commodity-producing markets will be improved through highways. About 3431 industrial units of food, agriculture and metal products will be promoted in these districts as business activities in nine towns and small towns will be increased.
The North-South Corridor will connect Depalpur, Pakpattan, Vehari, Multan Road, Head Sulemanki Minchinabad, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar Road. Changara East Interchange will be connected up to Bahawalpur N-5, he added. Meanwhile, Hasilpur will be connected with Rajana Motorway M-3 through Vehari, Burewala and Chichhwatani. Chishtian to Burewala and Sahiwal to Samundri link road will be built, he said. Bahawalnagar to Sahiwal will be connected with M-3 Motorway via Arifwala.
SIEN Corridor will also be constructed from Minchinabad to Sahiwal via Pakpattan. Due to the development and creation of employment opportunities in the backward and remote districts, the pressure on the big cities will be reduced, he added. Allahabad will be connected to the Jaranwala Interchange M-3 Motorway through Chunian, Pattoki and Halla. Sharqpur Interchange M-3 Motorway will be connected with Raiwind Road Ring Road.
The CM maintained that establishment of specialized potato machinery centers in Pakpattan and Okara will provide economic benefits to potato farmers. By installing solar dryers and color sorters in Bahawalnagar, red chilli farmers will be able to get a better price for the crop. Vehari Industrial Estate will be converted into Agro-Industrial Park. Economic activities will increase in Kasur Small Industrial Estate and Dry Port.
CM said that a multi-modal freight terminal will be established in Pakpattan. Agro-industrial parks will be established in Bahawalnagar and Okara, he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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