GUJRAT: The Punjab government has released Rs2bn for the construction of Shahbazpur Bridge over the Chenab as well as a 19km long access road on both sides of the bridge which will link Gujrat with the Sialkot International Airport and Siallcot-Lahore Motorway.

The total cost of the project is around Rs4bn that also includes the construction of four kilometers long concrete portion on the up and down stream of the river to save the bridge as well as the land of the surrounding areas from the erosion and flood.Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa stated this during a meeting of the departments concerned to review the progress on the Shahbazpur Bridge and Shaheen flyover along GT Road bypass.

The National Logistic Cell (NLC) has already started the construction work at the bridge which is lil(ely to be completed by the end of this year.

The meeting was told the earth work on the nine kilometers access road to the bridge from Jalalpur Jattan and five kilometers long road from the Sialkot side had been completed.

As per the design, one kilometerlong bridge will be 28 feet wide while a five feet passage way will also be constructed for pedestrians along it.

The Shaheen Hyover project is almost in its final stage since the construction of the service roads on both sides has also been completed while the contractor is working its beautification.

The flyover built at the cost of Rs850m is already opened for the heavy traffic, however, a formal inauguration is yet to be held and the ofñeial sources say that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is likely to inaugurate it in the next few days.