Muhammad Luqman

The Punjab government, in collaboration with the Pakistan Railways, has launched the Lahore Green Corridor Project to reduce pollution and enhance the urban landscape along the city’s 40-km railway stretching from Shahdara in the north to Raiwind in the south.

The Rs2.53 billion carbon-free project will convert nearly 700 kanals of railway-adjacent land into lush greenbelts and is expected to be completed within a year. The project includes the installation of boundary fencing, development of jogging tracks, walkways, gazebos, children’s play areas, open gyms, badminton and volleyball courts, benches, dustbins, water bodies, tuck shops, food carts, a digital library, and cafés set up in the old passenger coaches. Dedicated cycle tracks will also be built along the railway track.

“We will provide the land for the purpose, while the Punjab government will bear the cost of developing the green corridor,” said Babar Raza, Director of the Pakistan Railways, in an interview with WealthPK. “This is the first project of its kind along a railway track —at least in South Asia. If successful, the Pakistan Railways will consider offering land for similar projects in other cities,” he said. He said there was a need to launch similar projects in other big urban centres like Karachi, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Multan.

The corridor will be developed in four phases i.e. from Shahdara to Lahore Railway Station, Lahore Railway Station to Walton, Walton to Kot Lakhpat, and Kot Lakhpat to Raiwind. In a creative touch, retired carriages will be repurposed as public libraries or cafés, adding cultural and recreational value to the corridor. The Punjab Housing Department has already submitted the project’s PC-1 to the Planning and Development Department for formal approval.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) will execute the project, which aims to combat smog and other forms of environmental degradation. Interestingly, the project was initially included in the Annual Development Program (ADP) 2017–18 under Scheme No. 8920 but was later shelved following a change in the provincial government. According to the project brief, the Rs2.335 billion required will be provided through a supplementary grant from the chief minister.

“The PHA will be responsible for developing 33 green belts, and landscaping. Work will commence soon after getting the Punjab government’s go-ahead,” said Nabeel Ali, spokesperson for the PHA, Lahore. He said the Authority would help create such an ambiance in the corridor that would be very attractive and pleasant for passengers and visitors.

Credit: INP-WealthPk