City to have 5 new parks, 14 playgrounds

The PHA will also develop a state-of-the-art park measuring 1,000 kanal in Johar Town. International consultants from Singapore and Malaysia will be hired to make the park as a model one. With a view to monitor the action plan, the authority will initiate a project to get all its data computerised. The data regarding strength of staff, available apparatus, status of completed and on-going works, earmarked funds, future projects, enquiries, performance report and other miscellaneous information will be computerised. Under this programme the data will be available to all the offices of the authority. Ever the general public will have access to such data to ensure transparency. PHA DG Rao Iftikhar told The Nation the authority was committed to realise the dream of transforming the city into a hub of playgrounds and parks under the vision outlined by CM Shabaz Sharif. He said the PHA had executed this plan, adding that the teams of gardeners had also been constituted. These teams have started their work. The PHA has banned all functions in 1,139 parks to improve their condition, he maintained.CM Task Force for Horticulture Chairman Mustafa Kamal said the target given by the chief minister to transform the city into land of garden would be achieved in stipulated time. He said the city would be named as “Lahore Garden City”. He said that public private partnership would be encouraged to ensure the maintenance of the parks, adding the force of 5,000 gardens would be optimised to materialise the new vision of PHA.