Lahore authorities have completed the construction of what they describe as the country’s most advanced city road, located in central Lahore, officials said Monday.
Known as Route 47, the 4.5 kilometers of highway runs through Kalma Chowk and connects several major arteries in the city, including Ferozepur Road, Gulberg Main Boulevard, Walton Road and Lahore Ring Road.
The project, which cost an estimated RS9 billion (around USD 32 million), was carried out by Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (CBD Punjab).
“This road is the central boulevard in the country’s most modern commercial district,” said CBD Punjab CEO Imran Amin. “It meets international standards and contains more smart features.”
The road includes an almost one kilometer flyover and is equipped with separate pedestrian and bike paths. Officials said it was designed to prevent the accumulation of water during rainfall, a frequent problem in Lahore’s monsoon season.
The sidewalks along Route 47 are equipped with solar panels that provide shade and generate up to a megawatt electricity. “I think this is Pakistan’s first smart road that will also produce energy,” Amin said.
The route runs through what was once Walton Airport, a 300 -acre area that is now being converted into a high -rise commercial zone. The area is placed as Lahores’ central business district, part of a wider push towards vertical urban development.
Officials said that infrastructure work in the district is now largely complete, including new sewerage systems, storm water management and construction of two parking spaces. Rainwater from the area is channeled through underground systems and led to an artificial lake, which is also approaching completion.
The government plans to promote CBD as a hub for both business and information technology in the coming years.
