Lahore Division

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the relevant provincial departments to examine three major infrastructure schemes for possible inclusion in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2026-27, as the government considers further investment in road connectivity, traffic management and supporting civic infrastructure.
The proposed schemes include the construction and widening of Kitar Band Road from Multan Road to Ghausia Road, the widening and covering of Kharak Nala from Multan Road to the Motorway, and the construction of service roads along both sides of the Motorway from Jinnah Terminal to Babu Sabu.
According to details of the proposals under consideration, the Kharak Nala scheme is broader than a conventional drainage improvement project and also includes the development of an access road and a proposed Motorway interchange.
The Chief Minister’s Office has directed the departments concerned to carry out the required technical and administrative review of the schemes and submit a formal summary for further consideration.
The proposed projects are intended to improve connectivity between major roads, residential areas and motorway-linked routes while addressing traffic pressure in rapidly developing parts of the provincial capital.
The planned widening and reconstruction of Kitar Band Road is expected to improve movement between Multan Road and Ghausia Road, providing additional road capacity and potentially reducing congestion on surrounding routes.
Similarly, the proposed widening and covering of Kharak Nala could serve a dual purpose by improving drainage infrastructure while also creating additional space for road connectivity. The inclusion of an access road and proposed Motorway interchange could further strengthen links between nearby urban areas and the motorway network.
The third scheme proposes construction of service roads on both sides of the Motorway between Jinnah Terminal and Babu Sabu. Such roads could provide improved local access and reduce pressure on existing routes by separating shorter urban trips from motorway-bound traffic.
Officials are expected to assess the technical feasibility, estimated cost, land requirements and broader transport benefits of the three projects before any decision is taken on their inclusion in the ADP 2026-27.
The schemes are currently at the review stage and have not yet received final approval. Their inclusion in the provincial development programme will depend on the recommendations of the relevant departments and subsequent approval by the competent authorities.
The move forms part of the Punjab government’s broader focus on expanding and upgrading urban road infrastructure, improving traffic circulation and strengthening connectivity between major transport corridors.
If approved, the three schemes could become part of the province’s development portfolio for the 2026-27 financial year and add to a wider pipeline of road construction, remodelling and transport infrastructure projects being considered across Punjab.

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The newly constructed Bhatti Chowk Underpass has been opened to traffic after being completed in four months, providing motorists with a new route aimed at easing chronic congestion around Data Darbar and Lahore’s densely populated Inner City.
According to the Punjab government, the project was undertaken to address long-standing traffic bottlenecks at Bhatti Chowk, an important junction used by large numbers of commuters, public transport vehicles and commercial traffic travelling through the historic parts of Lahore.
With the underpass now operational, vehicles can move through the area without facing some of the delays previously caused by heavy traffic at the junction. The government says the project is expected to improve overall traffic circulation around Data Darbar and adjoining roads.
Bhatti Chowk serves as a major gateway to several parts of Lahore’s historic core and regularly experiences significant traffic pressure. Congestion in the area has traditionally resulted in longer travel times, particularly during peak hours and periods of increased activity around Data Darbar.
The Punjab government said the underpass has significantly reduced the time required to cross the congested section. According to a citizen quoted following the opening, travelling through the area previously took around 10 to 15 minutes, while the same journey can now be completed in approximately two to three minutes.
The reduction in travel time is expected to benefit not only private motorists but also public transport operators, commercial vehicles and commuters who regularly travel through the area.
Citizens and transporters have welcomed the opening of the underpass, particularly its completion within a relatively short construction period. The project was completed in four months and has now been made fully available for vehicular traffic.
The Punjab government described the scheme as part of its broader efforts to improve urban mobility and public infrastructure in Lahore. It said the project was completed in line with the public-service vision of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Beyond reducing congestion at Bhatti Chowk itself, improved movement through the junction could also help ease traffic pressure on surrounding roads by reducing queues and delays at a key inner-city intersection.
The opening adds another major traffic infrastructure facility to Lahore at a time when the provincial government is undertaking a number of road improvement, remodelling and traffic management projects across the city.
With the Bhatti Chowk Underpass now open, authorities expect smoother movement through the Data Darbar area and shorter journey times for thousands of commuters using the route daily.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged the government to effectively incorporate recommendations from chambers of commerce, industrial associations and the wider business community into the formulation and implementation of the National Integrated Energy Plan 2027–2060.
The chamber said the long-term energy policy should be designed around the actual needs of industry, taking into account production costs, energy affordability and Pakistan’s export competitiveness.
LCCI President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol welcomed the approval of the high-level design of the National Integrated Energy Plan, describing it as an important step towards making Pakistan’s energy system more efficient, affordable, reliable and sustainable.
He said Pakistan’s economic growth, industrial expansion and export development require a coherent long-term energy policy that gives equal importance to the availability of electricity and other energy sources, their pricing and their financial impact on industry.
A major development on the plan came on August 18, when the Cabinet Committee on Energy, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved the high-level design report for the National Integrated Energy Plan 2027–2060.
Under the government’s framework, federal and provincial governments, along with other relevant stakeholders, are expected to be involved in the planning process.
The plan is primarily aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s energy security and improving economic competitiveness. It seeks to develop a strategy for supplying electricity and other forms of energy to industrial and domestic consumers at affordable rates.
The framework also envisages promoting low-carbon power generation, cleaner energy sources and energy systems capable of withstanding the growing impacts of climate change.