uhammad Tahir, 35, is not happy to learn that the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) plans to construct a signal-free corridor from Gulberg to Defence Mor, which will include a double-lane flyover at Ghora Chowk, DHA.

Tahir, a telecom engineer currently working with a company in Defence’s Lalak Jan Chowk area, commutes daily from Sikandria Colony to his workplace via LOS Nullah, Jail Road, Gulberg’s main boulevard and Cavalry Ground. “I know for a fact that the construction of this [signal-free corridor] will add to my travelling time,” he tells TNS.

In recent decades, Lahore has seen scores of mega development projects, chiefly to do with road infrastructure, which have failed to address the growing menace of traffic chaos. Tahir says that in his 12-year service, he’s always had to change routes to reach his office, thanks to an overhead bridge at one busy intersection, followed by an underpass at another, both of which are long under construction.

The mega road construction projects are one major factor why traffic slows down routinely in most parts of the city. Presently, Akbar Chowk is being remodelled. An underpass is also under construction on Multan Road, near Samanabad Mor. Besides, the Kalma Chowk remodelling has been long time coming. Everyone, from schoolchildren to office professionals, have to make extra time for their commutes. Those driving their own vehicles are condemned to burn fuel, of which prices have gone through the roof lately.

LDA Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa says the mega projects are intended to ease traffic congestion. “I’m aware of the problems the citizens face when construction is under way, but they [the citizens] should rest assured that we’ve set tight deadlines for the projects, and our constant monitoring ensures that [the projects] are completed on time.”

Sadly, these claims come across as hollow when you see that the reality is quite the contrary. Take the example of the Kalma Chowk remodelling project, which was supposed to finish on March 23. The deadline passed and work on the project is still going on.

Imran Amin, chairman of Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), which is responsible for overseeing the project, says that another two weeks are needed to finish a few tasks related to the subsurface infrastructure that is being upgraded. He says a significant number of sewer pipes were found damaged and were creating enormous subterranean slush.

Salman Rizwan, a resident of Askari V, fears that the residents of Falcon Society and Askari V will have to go without sleep for another fortnight or so.

Everyone, from schoolchildren to office professionals, have to make extra time for their commutes. Those driving their own vehicles are condemned to burn fuel, of which prices have gone through the roof lately.

Similar deadline changes have been made for the Samanabad Mor underpass project. Originally slated to be completed in June last year, the Rs 2.033 billion project will now likely be finished sometime this month. The schedule for the project has been revised twice before. The project started in December 2021, with a completion deadline set for September 30 this year, but Pervaiz Elahi’s administration advanced it to June 30. The caretaker administration has now expedited construction and is pushing for completion by April 30.

nter the caretaker administration. Work began on the remodelling of Akbar Chowk, which took precedence over the other two, long-delayed projects (Kalma Chowk and Samanabad Mor underpass).

On March 1, the caretaker chief minister, Mohsin Naqvi, laid the foundation for the Rs 3.10 billion Akbar Chowk flyover-underpass. Construction is expected to be completed by May 30.

According to LDA Director-General Aamir Ahmad Khan, the project, with a total length of nearly 700 metres for the flyover and 540 metres for the underpass, is meant to handle two-way traffic, meeting the demands of commuters from Faisal Town, Johar Town, Kot Lakhpat and other neighbourhoods.

Khan hints at a collaborative project with the city traffic police for which the “idea is to address the commuters’ woes.”

On the other hand, Caretaker Minister for Excise, Taxation, Communication, and Works Bilal Afzal has been tasked to visit Kalma Chowk and Samanabad construction sites every other day. For his part, Afzal has asked the civil administration to seek maximum assistance from all concerned departments in order to complete the project on time.

There are a couple of other projects also in the works. Randhawa says that the arrangements aare being made for the construction of the Nawaz Sharif Interchange on Bedian Road and a multi-level flyover in Shahdara. Besides, an expressway leading to Gulberg and a signal-free Maulana Shaukat Ali Road are also on the cards.

This leads us to the next relevant question: Will these mega projects help streamline traffic in Lahore?

“I am not sure if this will happen,” says Dr Rizwan Safdar of Punjab University’s Sociology Department. “After the completion of every road project, we only see more cars on the roads. It shows poor planning on our governments’ part.

“These projects only encourage the car culture, whereas sound traffic planning means more public buses in every part of the city,” he adds.

The writer is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship