LAHORE (APP): Pakistan Railways, with the help of City District Government and Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA), will convert all the railway lands along the track, into greenery, to make the city beautiful.
An agreement "Rail Green Corridor" was signed by DG PHA Mian Shakeel Ahmed and DS Railways Lahore Waqar Ahmed Shahid, in the presence of Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, MNA and PML-N Lahore President Pervez Malik, Malik Riaz, DCO Lahore Capt (rtd) Muhammad Usman, CEO Railways Javed Anwar, Vice Chairman PHA Iftekhar Ahmed and other officials, here at Railways Headquarters on Monday.
Addressing the signing ceremony, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that all the railway lands along the track would be transformed into green belts, libraries, garden cafe, jogging tracks and other recreational places by planting a variety of saplings.
As per the agreement, the project of Rs 820 million will be completed in 18 months which will transform 1,800 canal in greenery while a population of 1.5 mln will enjoy these places, the minister said.
Saad said it would be a historical project which would be spread out in the whole country, if the other provinces wished, railways would provide full support, he added.
He said that another "Green Rail Corridor" would be provided to Lahore-Wagha Railway station in second phase while a state of the art railway station would also be built in Raiwind to facilitate Tableeghi Ijtema.
He said that Pakistan Railways was thankful to Punjab Chief Minister for providing funds for this project which was going to beautify the city.
Vice Chairman PHA Iftekhar Ahmed said, this was a movement of flowers which would be maintained by the PHA and its results would be seemed in a couple of months.
PML-N MNA Pervez Malik, congratulating Railways and PHA said that the project would ultimately help in controlling pollution in the city and a marvellous initiative would provide the citizen a new life.