LAHORE (handout) - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that modern transport system is the hallmark of a civilised society. He said that an efficient and reliable transport system is essential for providing quality travelling facilities to the masses as well as accelerating economic and trade activities.
He said the Punjab govt has taken revolutionary measures for modernizing transport system in the province which are leaving a positive impact on transport sector. He said that after the thumping success of public welfare metro bus system, the first metro train project of the country is also being started which will revolutionize transport system. He was talking to a delegation of assembly members and workers of Pakistan Muslim League-N at Raiwind, on Sunday. The chief minister said that PML-N is implementing its public welfare agenda in the light of its manifesto. He said that billions of rupees are being spent on education, health, water supply and communication sectors. He said that national resources are a trust of the nation and Punjab government is spending every penny of public money in a transparent manner for the provision of basic amenities to the masses. He said that a project has been evolved to operate metro train on a 27-km long route in Lahore with the investment of China which will give a new identity to Lahore while modern transport facility will also become available to the citizen.
He said that orange line metro train is a glorious project for resolving traffic problems and provision of modern transport facilities to the citizens. He said that the project will be completed in a record period of 27 months while speed, transparency and highest standard of construction work will also be ensured. He said that initially more than 2.5 lakh citizens will benefit from orange line metro train project while their number will increase gradually. He said that around 1.75 lakh people are also benefiting from metro bus service. The chief minister further said that after Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro bus project is also being implemented speedily and it will be completed in a record period of 10 months. He said that completion of this project will result in provision of speedy, economical and modern transport facilities to the residents of the twin cities.
He said that metro bus project will also be started in Multan and Faisalabad in the new financial year. Shahbaz said that service to the people and raising their living standard is the manifesto of PML-N and a network of development projects is being laid for this purpose throughout the province.  He said that development schemes are being executed on priority basis in south Punjab and less developed areas. He said that modern transport system helps in fuel conservation as well as saving the precious time of the citizens who are also rid of traffic jams. Keeping in view this fact, he said, Punjab government is spending billions of rupees for modernizing transport sector. The assembly members and workers of PML-N congratulated Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over presenting a balanced, poor-friendly and welfare-oriented budget and said that his efforts for the improvement of transport system are yielding positive results. They said that Shahbaz Sharif is serving the people round the clock and his style of work is being appreciated at international level.