PM announces historic development package for the city

ASSOCIATED PRESS SERVICE

MULTAN: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday announced a historic development package for the city which includes start of work on Motorway (M-4), construction of educational institutions, road schemes, housing and load management plan for industrial and agriculture sector. Speaking at the Multan Press Club function ‘Guftgoo’, the prime minister said the work on all these projects would start next month and completed within five years.
He also announced expansion of Multan airport to make it of international standard for which the ministry of defence and the Civil Aviation Authority will acquire the land. The work would start in June this year.
He said six low cost housing schemes in Shuja Abad and Jalalpur would be started for which the provincial government will provide the land and requisite funds.
He said National Highway Authority would commence work on Multan Faisalabad Motorway (M-4) project in July 2008.
Prime Minister Gilani said road infrastructure in the historic city of Multan will be improved to ease traffic congestion.
For this purpose work on ring road in the inner city, which will have Northern and Southern by-pass, will be started.
He said construction of Northern By-pass will be completed at a cost of Rs 50 million in June next year, for which the land is already available. The Southern by-pass, he added, will be completed in a phased manner which will also include acquisition of land.
He said portion of ring road, passing from inner city will have underpasses and where needed, the crossings will be widened and improved.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said the work on establishment of a women’s university and University of Science and Technology will start in July.
He also announced setting up of five colleges for girls and two colleges for boys and a cadet college in the city.
Water supply and sewerage schemes at a cost of Rs 5.92 billion will also be initiated.
He said to impart technical and vocational training to the youth of Multan, NAVTEC will present him a comprehensive plan for establishment of training institutes before June 30.
He announced to upgrade Bagh Langay Khan and Municipal library and refurbishment of Qasim Bagh stadium.
Prime Minister Gilani said a football ground and an athletics track of international standard will be constructed in the stadium.
Multan city, where he said, he grew up will be made into a national heritage city on the pattern of Faiz city of Morocco.
He said for proper load management after consultation with the representatives of industry, agriculture and power looms sector, the distribution of electricity to them will be rationalized according to their needs.
He said those who were arrested during the power looms strike will be set free tonight by the provincial government.
He announced to make Multan a model health district and said every Basic Health Unit (BHU) will have doctor and required staff and supply of medicines will be ensured.
He said Metro Cash-n-Carry store will open its branch in the city at a cost of Rs 2 billion having special storage for kinoo and mangoes. Prime Minister Gilani will lay the foundation stone of the store next week.
The other announcements by the prime minister include 15 buses for women colleges, upgradation of cancer hospital at Nishter College to 100 beds and two buses for the college.
The Prime Minister said that a special committee to oversee the package will be formed which he himself will chair.
The Prime Minister said that the development package has been announced after consultation with the federal government, provincial government and representatives of the city.