RAWALPINDI: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday inaugurated the General Post Office (GPO) underpass on the Mall and the Nawaz Sharif Flyover on Adiala Road.

The work on the Nawaz Sharif Flyover started in January and its initial cost was Rs2.1 billion, which later escalated to Rs3.6 billion. The work on the GPO underpass started in February for Rs4.6 billion.

In a briefing, the CM was informed that 67 road projects, stretching up to 607 kilometres, hadbeenlaunchedinRawalpindi, out of which 51 had been completed.

The newly inaugurated Nawaz Sharif Flyover, which starts from Kutchery Chowk on Adiala Road, will benefit traffic passing through GT Road, Ring Road, and the Chakri Interchange on the Motorway.

It was further apprised in the briefing that the traffic from Gorakhpur, Adiala, KhalsaKhurd, Khalsa Kalan, Dhalan, Jarrar Camp, Dhok Awan, and other surrounding localities will benefit from the flyover. A twokilometre service road has also been constructed around the Nawaz Sharif Flyover.

The CM was informed that for the first time, the latest intelligent signal systems had been installed as part of the GPO Underpass project. The nearly two-kilometre-long underpass will provide easy access to the National Highway N-5 via Kashmir Road. It was further apprised in the briefing that the GPO underpass will also facilitate millions of patients coming to the CMH, MH, and AFIC.

At the inauguration ceremony, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also announced that the government would launch clean drinking water projects across Punjab.

She announced potable water projects for south Punjab and Potohar. The chief minister also hinted at the early resolution of the water supply problem in Murree, besides the preparation of a project for the construction ofan expressway along Leh Nullah in Rawalpindi.

She said, `...the Nawaz Sharif Flyover project will reduce the travel time from Rawalpindi to Chakri by one hour. Most of the road construction and rehabilitation projects have been completed in Rawalpindi.

According to the CM, the Punjab government has constructed and repaired 12,000 km of roads, and within a few weeks, 19,000 km of roads will be repaired and rehabilitated across the province.

She maintained, `People acknowledge that roads are being built in a record period, it seems as if giants are working. Roads which had not been built for the last 30 years have been built now.

She congratulated the relevant official for ensuring the timely completion of the Nawaz Sharif Flyover and the GPO underpass.

`This project, which will facilitate the plying of two lakh vehicles daily, has been made state-ofthe-art,` she added.

The CM also said that theRawalpindi Ring Road would be completed in record time. `All schools in Rawalpindi are being revamped and will be completed soon. I am personally monitoring the beautification projects of Rawalpindi city,` she added.

More than 1250 health centres across Punjab have been revamped and turned into mini hospitals. The condition of hospitals has entirely changed in a record period of time,` she added.

The CM also highlighted the `Suthra Punjab` project, saying commendable work was being carried out across the province under this project.

`When visitors reach Barian (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) from Murree, where the jurisdiction of Punjab ends, a visible difference in cleanliness and infrastructure is witnessed,` she elaborated.

She emphasised that teamwork had become their distinguishing feature in Punjab. The entire team worked with dedication and devotion during Muharram, which was appreciated by the public, particularly the Shia community.Rawalpindi Ring Road would be completed in record time. `All schools in Rawalpindi are being revamped and will be completed soon. I am personally monitoring the beautification projects of Rawalpindi city,` she added.

More than 1250 health centres across Punjab have been revamped and turned into mini hospitals. The condition of hospitals has entirely changed in a record period of time,` she added.

The CM also highlighted the `Suthra Punjab` project, saying commendable work was being carried out across the province under this project.

`When visitors reach Barian (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) from Murree, where the jurisdiction of Punjab ends, a visible difference in cleanliness and infrastructure is witnessed,` she elaborated.

She emphasised that teamwork had become their distinguishing feature in Punjab. The entire team worked with dedication and devotion during Muharram, which was appreciated by the public, particularly the Shia community.