June 30 deadline set for ‘Lahore revamping plan’ completion

LAHORE: During a meeting chaired by Punjab Local Governments Minister Zeeshan Rafique, it has been decided to set a deadline of 30 June for the completion of ‘Chief Minister Lahore Revamping Plan’ and to transfer the authority of Punjab Local Governments Department as a executing agency to Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL).

The meeting which was held at Wasa Head Office was attended by Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Political Affairs Zeeshan Malik, Director General LDA / Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Administrator Metropolitan Corporation Lahore / Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider, Wasa MD Ghufran Ahmed and other officials concerned.

During the meeting, progress in ‘Lahore Revamping Plan’ was reviewed. Local Governments Minister Zeeshan Rafique while addressing the participants said that according to the revamping plan launched under the directions from the CM, 188 schemes of MCL and 207 schemes of Wasa will be completed. ‘The GIS mapping of each scheme will be completed by April 25’, he hoped.

The chair directed that PC-1 should be completed within 10 days and the tendering of the schemes be done within 30 days. He said that the Deputy Commissioner as the administrator of MCL would supervise the whole plan.

Zeeshan Rafique emphasised that the CM’s directive to create a single dashboard of all relevant agencies should be fully implemented. ‘After the revamping is completed, there will be no need for any new development scheme in Lahore for next four to five years’, he resolved. Special Assistant to Chief Minister Zeeshan Malik said that the MPA of each zone would supervise the development projects in his or her respective constituency.

‘After the completion of the schemes, there will not be any dilapidated street or road left in Lahore. Greater focus will be on areas neglected in the past’, he vowed.

Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Randhawa directed the Forest Department and PHA to pay special attention on plantation and anti-smog measures during the revamping plan. He told the meeting that an effective monitoring mechanism would be in place during the revamping plan. Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider said that approval of the schemes will get approval from DDWP within five days and a dashboard will also be established in the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

Earlier, the provincial minister and the special assistant visited Wasa offices and reviewed the facilities provided for the customers. MD Wasa Ghufran Ahmed gave a briefing to the Local Governments minister on the issues of Complaints Desk and Monitoring Cell.