A busy stretch of Walton Road — from Defence Mor till Qainchi, to be precise — has been a living hell for commuters. It would get worse during the monsoon. “Every time it rained, the Airport Drain overflowed, flooding the service lanes as well as the main road,” says Sarfraz Ali, a trader in the adjacent Sharif Market.

The rainwater would mix with sewage, he adds, because the nullah, which was originally created as the seasonal rainwater drain, had become more of a sewerage dump. This required civic agencies to make emergency arrangements each time. They would de-silt the nullah, but the improvement wouldn’t last long.

Another solution was to raise the protective walls of the nullah at several points. “This too didn’t work in the event of torrential rains,” says Azhar Manzoor, who lives on the Workshop Mor. “The rainwater would smash the walls and flood the roads.”

In July 2023, the caretaker government launched what it named the Rehabilitation and Remodelling of Walton Road and the Walton Airport Drain. It’s a mega project, budgeted at Rs 9 billion, which is helmed by the Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), known for initiating projects such as the Lahore Business District and the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project. NESPAK is providing consultancy for the project.

According to Talha Zafar, an engineer at the PCBDDA, the project was “long overdue.” It was necessitated by the Airport Drain overflowing during the rains, particularly along the Walton Road, which would lead to sewage water accumulating on various sections of this 4.5-kilometre road.

The project involves upgrade of the sewage system. Presently, separate conduits for draining rainwater are being laid out. This will reduce the strain on the ADA nullah, currently operating at a low capacity of 80 cusecs instead of the previous 120 cusecs.

The project includes construction of a six-lane, 210-foot wide dual carriageway from Ferozepur Road to Defence Mor; a flyover at the Shaheen/ Cheel Chowk; an underpass on Defence Mor; four underground pedestrian passages; two overhead pedestrian bridges; and spacious greenbelts on both sides of the road.

Other than the issue of flooding, Walton Road had increasingly become inconvenient for driving, due to poorly planned chowks, and entrances and exits on the road. Imran Amin, the CEO of PCBDDA, claims that the road will be a pleasure to travel once the project is complete.

The remodelling part of the project includes construction of a six-lane, 210-foot dual carriageway from Ferozepur Road to Defence Mor; a flyover at Cheel Chowk, named after Maj Muhammad Ishaq Shaheed; an underpass on Defence Mor; four underground pedestrian passages; two overhead pedestrian bridges; and spacious greenbelts on both sides of the road.

The Major Ishaq Shaheed Flyover, initially proposed as a Rs 1.2 billion project, was reconsidered in favour of a two-lane flyover, reducing the cost by approximately Rs 200 million. The flyover is expected to provide a crucial link between Ferozepur Road and the DHA.

The entire Walton Road is being refashioned as signal free stretch. It will have three lanes on either side, along a 15-foot green belt and a 40-foot service lane. It will also incorporate three elevated U-turns.

A population of almost a million, based around the Walton Road, is expected to benefit from the project. Amin says, “The Walton Road upgrade is more than an infrastructure upgrade. It’s about our commitment to shaping the city’s future. Our goal is sustainable development and an improved quality of life for the residents.”

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