LAHORE DIVISION

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.

Lahore | Faisal Salharia ReNews Pakistan Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) Chief Executive Officer Engineer Ramzan Butt has said there are now no “no-go areas” for the company when it comes to electricity theft or bill recovery, while the recovery rate has reached 101% and overbilling has been eliminated. Speaking to the media during a visit to the Lahore Press Club, Butt said LESCO has also started recovering Rs93 billion in outstanding dues that had remained unpaid for nearly a decade. According to him, the amount is owed by various defaulters, including major industrial consumers, and recovery proceedings are now underway. Butt said eliminating overbilling, achieving full recovery and improving services for consumers remain among LESCO’s key priorities, adding that significant progress has been made in these areas. He also announced a complete ban on the private repair of transformers, saying transformers damaged due to excessive load are being replaced. The LESCO chief further warned that if electricity remains suspended in any area for more than four to five hours, the concerned officer will be held responsible. On the occasion, Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari welcomed Ramzan Butt and appreciated LESCO’s efforts to address consumer complaints, expressing hope that practical measures would continue to resolve electricity related problems faced by the public.