LDA plans bridge from Hussain Chowk to DHA

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) plans to build a bridge parallel to Jinnah Bridge for motorists entering the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), The Express Tribune has learnt.

The 900-metre bridge is proposed to be constructed from Hussain Chowk (near Coffee Tea and Company) on Mian Mehmood Ali Kasuri Road to Hamdani Chowk, LDA officials said.
The proposal for the two-way, three-lane bridge has been sent to military authorities for approval.

The officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said the LDA had shared the proposal with DHA authorities in March. The DHA administration was requested to bear the cost of land acquisition and half of the construction cost.

The DHA administration has forwarded the proposal to the military authorities concerned, the officials said.

They said the army had formed a committee to consider the proposal. The LDA officials had briefed the committee about the project a few days ago.

LDA Chief Engineer Israr Saeed said nearly 50 kanals was needed for the construction of the flyover. He said there were army barracks on most of the land to be acquired

He said the project would cost around Rs3.2 billion including Rs600 million to be spent on land acquisition. He said half the cost had been included in the LDA budget for 2014-15 to be presented before the authority’s board for approval.

“We are waiting for approval from the military authorities.”

He said the proposed flyover would help ease traffic load on Jinnah Bridge and Masud Anwari Road. He said the bridge would land at Hamdani Chowk where the motorists using Khursheed Alam Road could get on Walton Road.

Saeed said work on the bridge could start within three months of the approval. Ijaz Masood, a spokesperson for the DHA, said he had no knowledge about the project. Inter Services Public Relations spokesman Colonel Shahid said he was unaware of the project.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2nd, 2014.