LAHORE - 'Lahore Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase-II' with an estimated expenditure of Rs 14.35 billion is being initiated on the special directives of Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif. Besides remodelling of a number of existing roads as well as construction of new roads, the programme also includes building of Shalimar Interchange in Mughal Pura and an underpass on railway crossing at Kot Lakhpat. The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and its subordinate agency the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (Tepa) are executing the entire rehabilitation work. A special meeting to review the pace of ongoing work on these projects was held here Monday under the leadership of Chairman Chief Minister's Task Force Khawaja Ahmad Hassan. Director General LDA Shahid Mehmood, Chairman CM's Task Force on Horticulture Mustafa Kamal, Provincial Assembly members Hafiz Mian Muhammad Numan, Sheikh Alla-ud-Din, Ch Shahbaz and Allah Rakha besides high-ranking officials of Tepa, Wasa, FWO, Lesco, PTCL and other civic service providing agencies attended the meeting. Khawaja Ahmad Hassan directed the officials concerned to take into account the future requirements of increasing population of the provincial metropolis while planning these projects. He underlined the need for constructing drains along all the new roads with a view to ensure quick disposal of rainwater, as it caused depletion of roads. He asked for earmarking a separate lane for cyclists along busy roads besides, placing traffic signals on important crossings as well as installing street lights on these roads. Khawaja Ahmad called upon the agencies involved in these road rehabilitation projects for keeping a close liaison among them and for working with harmony for ensuring timely and up to the mark execution of the programme. He directed for publicising widely the traffic diversion plan with a view to avoid any inconvenience caused to the general public as a result of on going civil work. The meeting decided to review progress of all the departments regularly and a meeting will be held for this purpose every week.