Punjab completes 1,129 roads in 75 days, sets new development milestone

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a review meeting on the province's road infrastructure projects

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a review meeting on the province’s road infrastructure projects, where officials reported record progress in road construction, restoration, and development across Punjab.

The meeting was informed that 1,129 roads, covering 1,795 kilometres, were completed in just 75 days at a cost of Rs30 billion, setting what officials described as a new benchmark for speed, quality, and cost efficiency in the province’s road sector.

Officials said the projects were completed through round-the-clock work in three shifts, resulting in Rs11 billion in savings in road restoration projects.

The meeting was told that more than 6,000 kilometres of roads had been constructed between April and July this year under the “Sohna Punjab, Sohni Rahwan” programme, aimed at improving rural road infrastructure.

According to the briefing, a total of 125 billion rupees has been allocated for the Chief Minister’s road initiatives, local road projects, and schemes nearing completion. Authorities also reported a 99 percent utilisation of development funds in the road sector.

Officials said the Local Roads Programme includes 1,567 development schemes worth Rs79 billion, covering approximately 3,400 kilometres of roads. Of these, 1,129 schemes have already been completed.

The meeting was further informed that several major road projects have been completed, including the 93.5-kilometre Multan-Vehari Dual Road, the 24-kilometre Faisalabad-Chiniot Dual Road, and a 13-kilometre Tourism Highway Dual Road designed to promote tourism.

Officials said 86 schemes under the first phase of the Road Restoration Programme have reached 77 percent completion, while work on 41 schemes under Phase II is 31 percent complete. They also confirmed that all 124 flood-affected roads across the province have been fully restored.

The cabinet also approved the establishment of six modern service areas under the Punjab Ring Road Authority. These facilities are expected to generate approximately Rs500 million in annual revenue. The chief minister directed that all six service areas be fully operational by December this year and instructed authorities to develop them according to international standards.

The meeting also reviewed plans for the beautification of entry and exit points across Punjab’s highways. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed officials to ensure proper lane markings on all major roads and instructed departments to present final completion timelines for all ongoing road projects.

Officials further informed the meeting that 42 new road construction schemes have been included in the new fiscal programme. Funds amounting to Rs17 billion have been approved for local roads, while Rs17.23 billion has been allocated under the Chief Minister’s initiative. In addition, 907 projects, including the second phase of the Faisalabad-Chiniot road under a public-private partnership model, have also been approved.